The film tells the story of Maria Sosnowska and her 30-year-old son Jan, who live in a poor neighbourhood of a big city. They family have financial problems, because Jan does not have a steady job. When Maria gets a job offer, she must first go through medical examinations. It turns out that she cannot work because she is suffering from lung cancer and is likely to pass away in a few months. She cannot hide this fact from her son. Meanwhile, Jan wants to fulfil his dreams and at the same time reward Maria for her years of suffering. He meets a girl and is about to marry her.