“Pappa, why did God take our Mamma away from us?” When his little son asked this heart-wrenching question, Dr. Tomas Ginter could only sob in silence. The name of the little boy’s mother was Dr. Agnieszka Pisula. Agnieszka, who was a Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist, died from cancer on March 27, 2018. She, who was a mother of four children, was only 45 years old when she succumbed to death.
Agnieszka was diagnosed with cancer while she was carrying her fourth child. Initially they thought that it was a benign tumour; but when it was diagnosed as sarcoma, the family was literally shattered. Tomas felt devastated and helpless with their three children who were still minors.
Their life was a happy one. All of a sudden, it all crumbled. Doctors advised her to abort the baby in her womb and start treatment for cancer. All her three children were so dear to her. She loved the baby in her womb even more. She did not wish to make her life safe by killing the unborn child. Hence, she discarded the possibility of an abortion.
She knew the value of life. That was how her husband remembers her. She stood bold in a situation, which could dishearten most people. The smile on her face never vanished. She turned away from all treatments that were detrimental to her unborn child.
After 31 weeks of pregnancy, Agnieszka gave birth to a baby girl through C-section. She was christened as Bogna Joanna. Agnieszka expressed her willingness to undergo treatment only when she was convinced that her baby was capable of facing the world. But, it was too late. She could not be saved by any treatment. Eventually, she succumbed to death on March 27, 2018, offering herself as a sacrifice.
Agnieszka never gave in to despair. Even after she knew she had cancer, she led a normal life. She rejoiced in life. She could even laugh in front of her near and dear, who came to visit her with melancholic faces. The only change that happened to her face after chemotherapy was loss of hair. She was not physically tired, recalls Dr. Tomas.
When deadly diseases befall on them out of the blue, most people lose their faith in God. Many people question the justice of God and renounce God. But, Dr. Pisula was an exception. She surrendered her whole life into the hands of God. During his sermon on her funeral, Archbishop Hoser recalled this.
“For me, it was very tough to accept her disease and demise. It was hard to believe. I had no answer to the questions of my youngest son. But, she stunned me with her faith and courage” says Dr. Tomas. Until her final moment, Dr. Pisula did not give the slightest hint that she would die. Tomas also believed that she would come back. But…
Today, Tomas wears two wedding rings on his fingers. The first ring is the one his wife put on his finger during their wedding. And the second one is the one he put on the finger of Pisula. Raising these wedding rings, Tomas declares that his wife is still with him. “I spent my life with a saint. She died in the hands of God, immersed in His love” he adds.
