Upper Silesia Center of Dolphin Therapy

The first Polish rehabilitation center using dolphin therapy is planned in Tarnowskie Gory in Upper Silesia. According to the Upper Silesia Center organizers, people suffering from cancer, mental and neurological diseases as well as pregnant women will be treated there.

Dolphinotherapy has been recommended by doctors as an auxiliary therapy for 80 different diseases and disorders. The use of dolphins for children suffering from mental and physical diseases was first started by American scientists and neuropsychiatrists in Miami in the 1970s. The therapy involves children playing with dolphins in specific physical exercises. Ultrasounds emitted by dolphins infiltrate human tissues during such play and can cause some small but very beneficial changes to destroyed cells and tissues. During the play with dolphins, more endorphins are secreted which lessen pain, hunger and make breathing easier. Dolphins also can influence the secretion of hormones.

This therapy has helped more than 15,000 children, particularly autistic ones. Children who could not say a word learned to speak and to respond to the real world. Seven months to 6 years is the best age for children to get into therapy center. The program consists of at least eight individual sessions, 13 to 15 minutes each, with a dolphin.

Bottlenoses and belugas most often are used in the therapy. Several noted people have been asked for assistance in getting Poland’s therapy program started. Among them are Ole Danbolta a Norwegian politician and professor of medicine; actor Jackie Chan, a UNICEF ambassador; Luc Besson, a French film producer and a big fan of dolphins, and Jean Michael Jarre, French composer and musician.

Organizers of the Upper Silesia Center are searching for investors, sponsors and persons to build a hotel and restaurant next to the dolphinarium. The architects, contractor, water supply system company, water filters companies, and a company that will transport dolphins to Poland and provide them with fish have been already chosen. The total cost of investment is estimated at 27 mln zloty (7.15 mln euro).

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