Agata Danuta Mróz-Olszewska (7 April 1982 – 4 June 2008) was a Polish volleyball player, a member of the Poland women's national volleyball team in 1997–2007, double European Champion ( Turkey 2003, Croatia 2005). She died of an infection following a bone marrow transplant to treat Myelodysplastic syndrome, which she had suffered from since the age of 17.

Personal life

Agata was born in Dąbrowa Tarnowska, but raised in Tarnów. Her sister Katarzyna is a volleyball player and her brother Paweł a basketball player. On 9 June 2007, she married Jacek Olszewski. Since the age of 17, she suffered myelodysplastic syndrome. In 2007, she gave up her volleyball career because of her bone marrow disease, and began treatment. On 12 January 2008, she announced she was pregnant, and that as a result she could not change treatment. Their daughter Liliana was born prematurely on 4 April 2008. On 22 May 2008, she had a bone marrow transplant in the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Oncology and Hematology of the Medical University in Wrocław. She died fourteen days later from sepsis and

septic shock Septic shock is a potentially fatal medical condition that occurs when sepsis, which is organ injury or damage in response to infection, leads to dangerously low blood pressure and abnormalities in cellular metabolism. The Third International Con ...

. Her funeral was held on her first wedding anniversary, 9 June 2008.

Career

Clubs

Olszewska-Mróz began her career in

Tarnovia Tarnów Tarnovia Tarnów is a Polish sports club, founded in 1909 in the southern city of Tarnów. With white and red hues, the club's founders wanted to emphasize their patriotism, during the time when their homeland was divided into three powers (see: ...

, then moved to SMS Sosnowiec, WSBiP Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and

BKS Stal Bielsko-Biała BKS Stal Bielsko-Biała is a Polish sports club, with two departments: the men's football team and the women's volleyball team. The club is based in Bielsko-Biała. The football team plays in the Polish lower divisions, whereas the volleyball t ...

, where she was twice champion of Poland (2003 and 2004). She also played for the Spanish team

Grupo 2002 Murcia Club Atlético Voleibol Murcia 2005, also known for sponsorship reason as ''Grupo 2002 Murcia'', was a Spanish volleyball club based in Murcia that played their home matches at the Pabellón Príncipe de Asturias in Murcia. The team participated ...

, winning both the Championship of Spain and the Cup of Spain tournament (2007).

National team

She was one of the main competitors in the team led by coach

Andrzej Niemczyk Andrzej Ryszard Niemczyk (16 January 1944 – 2 June 2016) was a Polish volleyball player and coach. He was the coach of the Poland women's national volleyball team that competed at the 2003 Women's European Volleyball Championship, and the 2005 ...

. She won two gold medals with the Polish national team at the

European Championships The European Championships is a multi-sport tournament which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 was staged by the host cities of Berlin, ...

: Turkey 2003 and Croatia 2005. On 22 November 2005, received a state award granted by the Polish President -

Gold Cross of Merit The Cross of Merit () is a Polish civil state decoration established on 23 June 1923, to recognize services to the state. History At the time of its establishment in 1923, the Cross of Merit was the highest civilian award in Poland. It was awa ...

''for her contribution to the development of sport''.

Sporting achievements

National team

* 1999

CEV U19 European Championship * 2003 Gold medal with cup

CEV European Championship * 2005 Gold medal with cup

CEV European Championship

State awards

* 2005

* 2009

Knight's Cross of Polonia Restituta (posthumously)

Memorial

Despite the latter posthumous award (badge), her husband did not accept it. He stated that the doctors who helped Agata should receive the distinction. On 11 May 2012, was the premiere of a film Nad życie about Agata Mroz-Olszewska, her private life, illness, marriage and the birth of her daughter.''"Mam nadzieję, że Lilianka z tatą przyjdą na premierę"''
- tvn24.pl - 9 May 2012 During the wedding scene among the guests appeared husband Jacek and daughter Liliana.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mroz-Olszewska, Agata 1982 births Sportspeople from Tarnów Polish women's volleyball players Deaths from leukemia Deaths from cancer in Poland 2008 deaths Recipients of the Gold Cross of Merit (Poland) Knights of the Order of Polonia Restituta