In the quiet of the hospital, with paper and pencil in hand, I began to draw. In that act, I found a freedom my body could not give me. Art gave me a voice when words failed. It became my therapy, my prayer, and my hope.
If Filip Stanišić’s life had a color, he says, it would be dark blue.
The color of depth. The color of night, when everyone else sleeps, and I stay awake with myself. The color of silent struggle, of a gaze that sees what remains unspoken. Not black, because I am not lost. Not white, because I am not naive. Dark blue is balance – a place between light and shadow. The color of cold water in which I cleanse my soul, of the sky I watch after training while my chest burns and my heart finds calm. In that color, I live, breathe, remain silent… and create.
Filip’s Battle for Freedom and Life
Born and raised in Donja Bitinja near Štrpce, Kosovo and Metohija, Filip was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome as a child. Kidney disease shaped his childhood and high school years. From the age of 14, he underwent dialysis and temporarily lived in Belgrade—completely isolated, far from peers, family, and normal life. He admits that the cross given to him by God was not something he could accept calmly at first.
Filip at home
“At first, I just stared at the sky and stayed silent. There were moments I thought I couldn’t continue. But then you realize—the cross is not given to break you, but to shape you. Not as punishment, but as a path. I accepted pain as a teacher and fear as a shadow, not an enemy. Illness separates you from childhood, friends, school, but worst of all—from life itself. Over time, through suffering, a spark emerged—a desire to exist despite everything. To create. To not vanish into silence. Acceptance didn’t come from a single thought, but from years of growth, pain, silence, and hope. I learned that pain is not the end, but the beginning of something deeper.”
Filip spent his high school years in a hospital room in Belgrade, confined to his imagination.
“I dreamed of freedom. Of walking like others, simply living. I dreamed of returning—not just physically, but returning to myself. I wanted to one day transform my struggle into strength. Faith drove me, giving meaning to what I endured. Though I was isolated, my soul witnessed life silently, but I decided not to remain a mere observer.”
Freedom in art
Art became his salvation.
“Art arrived as my rescue. When everything is taken from you, only what you create from within remains. In the hospital’s quiet, with paper and pencil, I began to draw. In that, I found the freedom my body could not give me. Art gave me a voice when words failed. It became my therapy, my prayer, and my hope.”
Filip Stanišič- drawings
Life After Transplant – Returning to Kosovo
Despite frequent trips to Belgrade for check-ups, Filip’s desire to return to Kosovo was more than academic—it was deeply personal and emotional. He wanted to belong to that land, its story, and its people. Even after a successful transplant in 2023, his daily life remains a challenge.
“Life after transplant isn’t magically easy. But it’s different. I must care for every meal, pill, and symptom. I cannot live like most people, but I can live—and that changes everything. You learn that nothing is ordinary—every sip of water, step, and breath is a privilege. Looking back, I see the child who never gave up, thousands of days of struggle, and the light that broke through. My past was dark, but it helped me see brighter now. Looking ahead, I don’t seek a perfect life, just a real one—with a genuine smile, pure intention, and a heart that beats, not from fear, but from love for what’s to come.”
To the child he once was, he would say: “I know it hurts, but don’t give up. You don’t need to change to be loved. Your muses and heroes are within you—you only need to endure, draw, run, and believe. ”Through everything, he missed a love that simply sees. A love that doesn’t try to fix, but to understand. He learned that love is giving without asking, “What’s in it for me?” And that the greatest courage is opening your heart in a world that constantly demands you close it.
HO Kosovo Pomoravlje Scholarship: Hope and Support
Filip Stanišić is a scholarship recipient of HO Kosovo Pomoravlje. This young fighter and winner is now a student at the Faculty of Arts in Zvečan. Beyond family, friends, and teachers, this support program provides him with another boost. As he explains, this support is not just help—it is hope.
“Support is not just money—it’s faith. It’s the feeling that you are not alone, that someone believes in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. To me, it means a new life. It allows me to study, improve, and live with purpose. For young people in Kosovo, it is motivation, strength, and hope that no struggle is ever in vain.”
Marija Vasić
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