Marek Plura was born in 1970 in Raciborz. He is married with two children. He has suffered from progressive muscle dystrophy since birth. He graduated from the WSFP ‘Ignatianum’ in Krakow and achieved postgraduate studies in psychotherapy at Slask University in Katowice. In 2007, he was elected Member of the Polish Parliament - Sejm - where he chaired the disability subcommittee. He is a strong promoter of Silesian heritage and was awarded the Order of the Smile in 2012. He sits on the Employment and Transport Committees of the European Parliament. MEP since 2014.