Pro Memoriam Doctor Krystyna Twardowska-Saucha 1941–2020

With deep regret we announce that on December 21, 2020, having lived 79 years, passed away Krystyna Twardowska-Saucha MD, PhD, internist and specialist in industrial medicine.
She graduated 1967 from Faculty of Medicine at the Silesian Medical Academy, now Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Upper Silesia, Poland. She defended her PhD in medical sciences (PhD) at the University in 1977. In 1981 she obtained a specialization in the field of internal medicine. In 1984 she became a specialist in the field of industrial medicine. On a daily basis, she dealt with diagnostics and treatment – among others, diseases of the digestive, circulatory and nervous systems, she also issued opinions in the field of occupational medicine. She was a physician, university teacher, educator of many generations of doctors, a long-time employee of the Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine, Diabetology and Nephrology in Zabrze (Upper Silesia, Poland).
Together with her husband (a lawyer), in 1985, she founded one of the first Polish private modern vein treatment centers in Zabrze. She was one of the pioneers of modern sclerotherapy of varicose veins. She worked there almost until the last days. She was a Co-Founder Member of the Silesian Medical Chamber in Katowice, which was reactivated in 1989. She was also the Co-Founder Member of the Polish Society of Phlebology (PTF/1991) and a long-term member of the Board of the PTF (1991–2003), serving for two terms as Vice President (1991–1994 and 1994–1997) and General Secretary (1997–2000 and 2000–2003).
Together with M. Maruszyński and T. Drążkiewicz, Dr. Krystyna Twardowska-Saucha participated in the preparation and submission of documents allowing the PTF to join the IUP/UIP (Sydney, Australia 1998). She was able to establish valuable contacts with outstanding specialists who, thanks to her, often and willingly have visited Poland and invited Polish phlebologists to learn in their centers around the world. Together with her husband, she was proud of their son, who works as an experienced and respected specialist in the field of anesthesiology and intensive care in one of Europe’s largest centers of CardioVascular Surgery and Transplatology in Zabrze.
The departure of this kind, modest and hardworking person makes us realize that time does not stand still. May the memory of her stay forever among those who knew and valued her. To her husband – Bogusław Saucha and the son – Wojciech Saucha and their whole Family we make a declaration of support in difficult times.
It can be said without exaggeration that She sacrificed her health and life for medicine and Her patients.

Let us pay tribute to Her.
Dr. Tomasz Drążkiewicz
and Polish Society of Phlebology