Together for Michaela: Fundraiser raised over million CZK

More than a thousand donors joined a public fundraiser to support UWB lecturer Michaela Pešková. The mother of three suffered a brain hemorrhage this summer. The funds raised over two months will now cover further demanding treatment and specialized neurorehabilitation.

The public fundraiser Together for Michaela, organized on the Donio platform, raised a total of CZK 1,197,489. Donations came not only from colleagues at the Faculty of Education and across the University of West Bohemia, but also from students, alums, and members of the public. Over the course of 2 months, 1,057 people contributed. The average donation was CZK 1,132, with the most significant single contribution reaching CZK 30,000.

“We would like to thank everyone who got involved – for every donation, every share, and every message of support. Thanks to you, we know we are not alone on this difficult journey and that we have the opportunity to seek the best possible care. The fundraiser has given us, above all, time and the ability to choose. We can strive for treatment that gives Michaela a real chance of further improvement. Without your solidarity, we would not have reached this stage at all,” said Petr Pešek, Michaela’s husband. He added that his wife is currently receiving expert medical care. However, the funds raised will also enable intensive specialized neurorehabilitation in Germany, where doctors have long-term experience with similarly severe neurological conditions.

According to Petr Pešek, Michaela’s family sees the outcome of the fundraiser not only as financial assistance but, above all, as a powerful human gesture. The leadership of the Faculty of Education shares this view. “What happened around the fundraiser deeply moved us. It showed that the faculty and the university are not just institutions, but a true community of people who know how to help one another. We greatly appreciate the openness and willingness with which people offered their support. We wish the family much strength, and we are all keeping our fingers crossed for our colleague Pešková,” summarized the Dean of the Faculty, Pavel Mentlík. On behalf of the entire Faculty of Education, he thanked everyone who contributed – financially, by sharing the fundraiser, or through personal support.

Associate Professor Michaela Pešková has been a long-standing member of staff at the Faculty of Education of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. In mid-July last year, she was suddenly struck by a massive brain hemorrhage and unexpectedly placed in intensive medical care. She remains hospitalized, and after treatment, she still faces a long period of intensive rehabilitation.