Pola Blick is the owner of the center for natural medicine and advanced cosmetics. In addition to working with celebrities, she volunteers for Magen David Adom (MDA) and heads the social medial campaign that bears the slogan “Come volunteer and learn because knowledge saves lives!”
On the morning of October 7 that changed the reality for all of us, starting at 6:30 a.m. MDA employees and volunteers arrived at the combat area. Since then, 3,500 employees, 30,000 volunteers, 1,400 ambulances, 650 motorcycles, and three helicopters have been on high alert. MDA workers and volunteers were among the first to mobilize and arrive at every scene in the southern settlements to treat the wounded. Two MDA senior medics, an ambulance driver, and a paramedic were murdered in cold blood while providing first-aid in the field, and four staff members working inside the ambulances were wounded.
MDA also operates emergency centers manned by staff and volunteers. On that dark morning, they answered tens of thousands of calls from concerned citizens, some from the wounded themselves who survived the massacre; difficult calls documenting the horrors.
Pola, how did your connection MDA come about?
I like to take care of people in my everyday life and, of course, in my work. I am a caring person. Before I volunteered at MDA, I took a blood collection and donation course. I always wanted to volunteer at MDA, and I found a great occupation for myself. I came to the organization through a good friend who uploaded a picture on social media. Two days later, I signed up for the training course and started volunteering. Since then, something has changed in me.
How long have you been volunteering at MDA?
My relationship with MDA started five years ago, and I feel that I have always been there. There is nothing more gratifying than that.
What is your role in your volunteer shift?
I volunteer in the Yarkon-Dan area. I take part in the activities of the teams in all types of events and ambulance shifts and large events. I get into the ambulance and go to the areas where needed and help provide medical treatment to patients.
What is the role of the volunteers?
Volunteering at MDA is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only are we able to help those in need, but we also get the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many. The volunteers at MDA, numbering nearly 30,000 males and females, from a young age to veterans of the organization, are integrated in all areas.
What is the type of volunteering, and can anyone volunteer?
Magen David Adom regards volunteering as an essential value. It is the cornerstone of the organization. To volunteer at MDA, one must submit an application. Before being admitted to the training course, people undergo a personal interview to ensure their suitability for the field of practice that MDA is entrusted with. The candidates must also present a certificate of good health. Children under age 18 are required to show parental permission to volunteer.
You raise awareness about MDA on social networks and call on all your followers to volunteer and acquire life-saving knowledge. What has been the response?
I took it upon myself to raise awareness about MDA and the extensive life-saving work of the organization in order to encourage people to volunteer because it is an essential need, especially these days. There is an amazing response. But there is a need for more volunteers because during this crisis period, more teams and personnel are required. People can volunteer from the age of 14. Volunteering does something huge for the soul. Life-saving moments have enormous meaning. I cannot express in words the satisfaction of helping others and saving lives.
Tell me about the video you posted online urging people to take a basic first-aid course.
I am very happy to head a public campaign for MDA that offers a three-hour course in first-aid. Basic knowledge saves lives. People can also organize a group of friends and relatives with a minimum of 10 participants, and a MDA instructor will come to them and present the training session.
How does the awareness you generate affect the number of participants in MDA courses?
Thousands of people have signed up for the various courses as a result of the recruitment activity that I carry out on the social networks platforms. I couldn’t be happier because the response is truly amazing. It is very important and a great influence for opinion leaders to expose the public to the opportunity to volunteer. At the end of the day, it is a life saver and a force multiplier. I call on everyone to come and help save lives. Simple actions that save lives! In war time and every day.
What moments do you remember from the beginning of the war?
In the early days of the war, the number of wounded in the southern settlements was so great that there was a huge need for many pints of blood to treat the wounded. At moments like these, social media played an important role in spreading the need for blood donations. I recruited my friends to upload content calling on the public to come and donate blood. In fact, I called for it on every possible platform. The public responded in an exceptional way. In one day, MDA collected 4,000 pints of blood!
Why did you choose Amit Mann as your war heroine?
Amit Mann was the paramedic of Kibbutz Be’eri, who suffered a fatal wound on October 7. On the morning of the attack, she was on alert and ran to the dental clinic of the kibbutz to treat the wounded, begging for evacuation and assistance. Her bravery saved many residents. Amit fought and cared for the wounded until her last breath. She was a heroine who dedicated herself to her duty until her last moments.
This article is taken from The Jerusalem Post, 'Women - Heroines of Swords of Iron' Magazine 2024. To read the entire magazine, click here.