Poland Dispatches Military Medical Plane to Bring Home Student in Coma from Beijing
Poland's defense minister authorized a special military medical flight to evacuate a 24-year-old Polish student from a Beijing hospital, where she has been in a pharmacological coma since mid-April. The aircraft, with a military medical team on board, is set to depart early on June 1.
A Sudden Collapse in Beijing
Klaudia Uciechowska, a 24-year-old from Wałbrzych, Poland, moved to Beijing to pursue her studies after completing a bachelor's degree in Chinese philology in Wrocław. In mid-April, she suddenly experienced severe neurological symptoms—disorientation, hallucinations, and acute anxiety—and was admitted to a Beijing hospital on April 15 in critical condition. Doctors soon diagnosed a rare ovarian teratoma that had triggered an aggressive auto-immune reaction, causing encephalitis, pneumonia, peritonitis, a duodenal perforation, and a liver abscess. Although the tumor was surgically removed, Klaudia's body had already sustained massive damage, and she has remained in a pharmacological coma in the intensive care unit ever since.
A Family's Desperate Bid for Help
With her daughter fighting for life thousands of kilometers from home, Joanna Uciechowska launched a public fundraising campaign in Poland. The costs were staggering: a single day in the Beijing ICU exceeded 5,000 PLN, while specialized drugs could cost between 15,000 and 26,000 PLN per dose, and the estimated price of a medical transport back to Poland ran into several hundred thousand euros—potentially over one million złoty when including continued care and rehabilitation. "As a mother, I kneel before you today and ask for help. I beg for a chance for my child's life," she implored in an online appeal that resonated across the country.
A Military-Led Rescue Mission
On May 31, Poland's Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced that all diplomatic and aviation clearances had been secured for a special medical flight to repatriate Klaudia.
He added, "This assistance is our duty. I thank everyone who over the last few days worked on the necessary approvals and cooperated with Chinese doctors. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes well! Klaudia, we are waiting for you!"All clearances for the special plane flight to China to bring back Mrs. Klaudia have been granted. The plane will depart early tomorrow morning. There will be a military medical team on board who will do everything to ensure Klaudia reaches a hospital in Poland safely.
- Klaudia Uciechowska admitted to Beijing hospital in critical condition; later diagnosed with ovarian teratoma and multiple complications.
- Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz announces all clearances obtained for a special military medical flight.
- Planned early‑morning departure of the military plane with a medical team to repatriate Klaudia to Poland.
A Flight Against Time
The aircraft is scheduled to take off from Poland in the early hours of Monday, June 1, carrying a team of military medics equipped to manage the complex transfer. The exact Polish hospital where Klaudia will be admitted has not been disclosed, but the family hopes that bringing her closer to home will improve her chances of recovery and allow loved ones to be at her bedside. The flight marks a dramatic turning point in a weeks-long ordeal that has captured national attention, with the public urged to continue donating for the long rehabilitation that will follow even after her return.
