Category: Humanitarian/Medical

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News Humanitarian/Medical

Canada-Ukraine Foundation delivers 100 MOVES® SLC™ life-support systems to Ukraine.

MOVES® SLC™ integrated life-support systems from Thornhill Medical

This week, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) delivered 100 “Thornhill Medical” integrated life-support systems, MOVES® SLC™, to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to be used in land and air transport of critically injured patients as well as other critical care environments.

The life-support systems were donated to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation by the Government of Canada. Thornhill Medical is contributing casualty care training and other medical equipment. CUF is adding on ventilator cartridges, which are in low supply in Ukraine and are essential for the MOVES® SLC™ to function properly.

Delivery of the 100 MOVES® SLC™ is the largest deployment of this life-saving technology since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. MOVES® SLC™, which is a micro-integrated life support system designed for the provision of medical care in conflict and disaster-stricken zones, is already in use across Ukraine. Nicknamed “the medical Javelin” by Ukraine’s government and front-line healthcare providers, the technology is being used to support patients in hospitals, in forward surgical situations, on ambulances and evacuation medical trains. Now, there will be even more units to save lives.

“We are honoured to receive this very generous donation from the Government of Canada and direct it to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health,” said Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the CUF Board. “Delivery of this one-of-a-kind medical technology from Thornhill Medical will respond to the urgent requests from Ukraine’s healthcare and government officials and, more importantly, these 100 life-support systems will save lives of many critically injured Ukrainians.”

“Thornhill Medical is pleased to support the Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s efforts to help Ukraine’s front-line medical providers, as they face ever-growing number of civilian casualties with life-threatening injuries,” said Lesley Gouldie, President and CEO of Thornhill Medical. “It is imperative that NGOs, international governments and organizations continue to come together to provide Ukraine with humanitarian aid.”

On August 2nd, Sean Boyd, Deputy Head of the Diplomatic Mission of Canada to Ukraine officially handed these units over to Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine.

Sean Boyd and Ihor Kuzin in Kyiv, Ukraine

“The Government of Canada has been working with the Canada-Ukraine Foundation to provide Ukraine with more portable life support systems. We were glad to hear that the first systems we sent, were vital in ambulances and other transportation evacuating the injured and helped save many lives. Now, Ukraine’s First Responders will have another 100 units of this equipment,” said Sean Boyd, Deputy Head of the Diplomatic Mission of Canada to Ukraine. “We admire the courage and resilience of Ukrainian doctors, nurses and combat medics. Let these portable life support units help them in their heroic and important work saving lives of Ukrainian patients.”

“Every day since the full-scale invasion (on February 24th, 2022), Ukrainian doctors, like every Ukrainian, have been living and working under the enemy’s attack. (Russian) missiles continuously target and destroy (Ukraine’s) medical infrastructure and civilian objects – the injured and wounded need urgent medical care, especially, during the evacuation and transportation from the site of the attack to the hospital,” said Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine. “The portable life support systems received by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine from the Government of Canada, delivered by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, will be sent to stabilization centers and emergency and disaster response teams. We highly appreciate the support of our international partners and their assistance on the “medical front.” Portable life support systems will help monitor patients’ vital signs, provide artificial lung ventilation to those in critical condition, and prevent complications during transportation to hospitals.”

Background

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation is a national charitable foundation established in 1995 at the 18th Ukrainian Canadian Congress to coordinate, develop, organize and deliver assistance projects by Canadians directed to Ukraine and other organizations in Canada. For more information: www.cufoundation.ca

Thornhill Medical’s ground-breaking products are designed to be used globally by emergency health care providers, humanitarian, and military medical teams. Thornhill’s oxygen-focused research and commercial technologies are transforming patient care in humanitarian and military environments, while inspiring and enabling other new technologies to unlock vital life-saving solutions. Thornhill Medical’s innovations are in 19+ countries including in Ukraine. With a team committed to courage, collaboration and saving lives, Thornhill Medical leads the way in the nimble and precision-focused field of medical technologies. For more information: www.thornhillmedical.com

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News Humanitarian/Medical

Russian Terrorist Attack at Kakhovka Dam – Massive Flooding, Devastation, and Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

DESTRUCTION OF THE NOVA KAKHOVKA DAM CAUSES THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE, FURTHER DEEPENING ALREADY DIRE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN UKRAINE.

On June 6th at 2a.m., the Russian Federation blew up the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric plant in southern Ukraine. The destruction of the Dam in Kherson oblast has left at least 37 towns and villages partially flooded, which will likely have grave consequences for hundreds of thousands of people (OCHA).

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) condemns this more recent act of Russian terrorism that has caused further environmental and humanitarian destruction in Ukraine, and together with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), through the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Fund (UHA), we are redoubling our focus to the flood-affected area to address the most urgent needs for local residents and evacuees.

The Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee (UHRC) has already directed the immediate supply of food boxes to the region sufficient to feed some 12,000 people for at least two weeks. Further, the UHRC will be working with the Health Cluster Ukraine and our long standing partners in Ukraine to determine immediate and longer-term needs of the flood-devastated regions and to develop an actionable aid plan. 

This type of immediate and robust response would not be possible without your unwavering support of the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal over the last 18 months and CUF’s almost 30-year history, that enabled us to establish strong, effective partnerships in providing a wide range of humanitarian aid to people in Ukraine.

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada.

Food, medicine, emergency shelter support, mental health care, firefighting gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators are some of the types of aid provided by the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal funding.

Read more about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion and click here to further support our critical work.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia.

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News Humanitarian/Medical

Third Mission of CUSAP for Ukrainians Wounded In War Underway in Poland

The third Canadian reconstructive surgery mission of the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) is underway at a Polish hospital in the city of Cžeładz. From April 22 to May 6, mission members are providing complex reconstructive surgical care to patients from Ukraine, war victims who have been injured in the gunfire and explosions brought by Russian aggression.

After undergoing remote examination by Canadian doctors, 48 Ukrainian patients are scheduled to undergo surgeries during the mission. Most of the patients require complex post-traumatic reconstructive surgery on craniofacial injuries, and on injuries to their soft tissues, upper and lower extremities, as well as burns.

“The cases are horrendous, they are getting much worse,” noted Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn, MD, FRCS(C), MSM, CUSAP Founder and Head Surgeon, “it’s to the point where Ukraine is having trouble handling them.”

The surgeries will take place in three operating rooms, with three surgical teams operating simultaneously; the surgeries are expected to range from 5 to 15 hours, depending on injury severities. Canadian doctors will be operating on a few of the patients for the second and third times. Following post-operative care, patients will be transported back to Ukraine, in the care of specialists.

The present surgical mission team consists of more than 40 volunteer medical professionals from different provinces of Canada and the US: 9 surgeons, 5 anesthesiologists, 4 physicians and 23 nurses (2 from the US); each surgical team consists of multidisciplinary staff, and each has its own surgical equipment and supplies.

Photo by Andrey Syrko

Another vital component of this, and every, CUSAP mission is the educational one: Ukrainian surgeons are invited to train with their Canadian colleagues, who developed a special educational seminar on craniofacial surgery for the Ukrainians. The current mission will see 15 Ukrainian doctors involved. The goal of the surgical missions’ educational component is to create a learning environment where knowledge is exchanged in order to improve patient outcomes back in Ukraine.

The reconstructive surgery missions were established by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation in partnership with Sunnybrook Science Health Center to provide aid to the people of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2014; Canadian surgeons have operated on 286 patients since then, and the surgeries have significantly improved their quality of life.

From 2014 to 2020, Canadian surgical missions operated in the Kyiv Military Hospital, during which time the Canada-Ukraine Foundation provided nearly $1.5 million in operating room equipment and supplies. Canadian doctors have also performed surgeries in Lviv and Odesa.

The current mission is the tenth since 2014, and the third to take place in Poland since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. The two previous CUSAP missions to Poland took place in September and November, 2022.

The host hospital: Powiatowy Zespół Zakładów Opieki Zdrowotnej in Cžeładz, Poland

The three most recent missions are funded by donor support collected through the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA).

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada, and medicines, food, emergency shelter, surgical aid, veterans’ needs, psychological support, winterization, demining and ambulances in Ukraine. Click here to learn more about and support the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia.

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News Humanitarian/Medical

Firefighting Gear Delivered to Ukraine

As missiles and shells fired by the Russian Federation’s armed forces continue to wreak havoc on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, the resulting fires and destruction mean that the country’s firefighters need a steady supply of protective clothing and gear to do their jobs. The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, a joint initiative of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), has recently delivered 1,000 advanced firefighter suits, 1,000 sets of protective base wear, 2,000 balaclavas, and 1,000 pairs of gloves and boots to the State Emergency Services in Ukraine.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s first responders, firefighters, and paramedics have worked tirelessly to deal with the horrors and destruction of war across Ukraine, by extinguishing fires and conducting search and rescue operations on a daily basis. In Ukraine, first responders are deservedly called “heroes without munitions”: their main “weapons” are their skills, the high-quality gear and equipment they use to do their jobs.

“The State Emergency Services play an important role in Ukraine’s defence and its society’s resilience. As part of our humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal with the help from our trusted partner, GlobalMedic, has delivered new and advanced protective gear for use in fire stations in four regions of Ukraine: Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kirovohrad, and Cherkasy,” explained Olesia Luciw-Andryjowycz, a CUF board member and advisor to the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee, who coordinated the procurement and delivery of the gear.

Another 10,000 pairs of extraction gloves that conform to the EN388 standard, and 200 portable aerosol Fire Suppression units are currently on their way to Ukraine.

“We are grateful to everyone who continues to support our humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. The war continues, and so does our mission to help our brothers and sisters in Ukraine,” Luciw-Andryjowycz said.

Background

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada, and medicines, food, emergency shelter, surgical aid, veterans’ needs, psychological support, winterization, demining and ambulances in Ukraine. Click here to learn more about and support the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

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News Humanitarian/Medical

11 ambulances delivered to Ukraine to help Emergency Healthcare save lives.

An average of two attacks on health care – including the bombing of hospitals, torture of medics, and shooting at ambulances – were perpetrated each day from February 24 to December 31, 2022, reported by OCHA.

“Arriving in time, providing the wounded with the necessary first aid en route, and bringing them to the hospital as soon as possible means saving one’s life. That is why the ambulances and evacuation vehicles are one of our top priorities,” emphasizes Ukraine’s Health Minister, Viktor Lyashko, in his address to the representatives of the international organizations.

On behalf of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – a joint effort of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress (UCC), Oksana Wynnyckyj-Yusypovych, Honorary Consul at Canadian Consulate in Lviv, Ukraine, officially handed over 11 new ambulances to the Ukraine’s Ministry of Health on February 21st.

The ambulances are unique four-wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser J78 off-road vehicles designed to operate in difficult conditions and have high cross-country ability. They are easy to maintain and have a large fuel tank, providing a range of 1,000 km. These new medical evacuation vehicles will safely transport wounded patients to the designated hospitals. They were assembled in Gibraltar.

Oksana Wynnyckyj-Yusypovych
Consul with the representatives of Ukraine’s MOH

“This is not the first time that Canadian-funded ambulances have been sent to Ukraine. Ukrainian Canadians have stood shoulder to shoulder with their Ukrainian brothers and sisters throughout the 9-year war and will stand until Ukraine wins,” says Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the CUF’s Board and the CUF-UCC joint Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee (UHRC) that manages the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal fund. On January 28, 2017, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress donated 14 ambulances to the Ukraine’s Ministry of Health.

Since February 2022, the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has supported the Health Sector of Ukraine with 53 metric tons of medications delivered to 78 hospitals in the Eastern Ukraine reaching 790,500 patients, 17 dialysis machines, 20 vacuum assisted closure (VAC) machines, 330 pallets of PPE and 60 generators.

According to UNICEF estimates, by the end of 2022, a total of 17.7 million people in Ukraine were in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including 3.4 million children. Hence, our mission to provide the urgent humanitarian aid remains crucial. Thank you to our 72,000 donors across Canada who have supported our work over the past year. We are grateful to all for their continuous and steadfast support.

Background

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian assistance/relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.

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News Civil Society Humanitarian/Medical

365 days of suffering and resilience. Today marks one-year since Russia’s brutal, unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the Board of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF), and Alexandra Chyczij, the National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), held a press conference in Toronto reporting on the $52 million raised through the CUF-UCC joint Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and the $26 million already deployed in the essential humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

They were joined by Her Excellency, Yulia Kovaliv, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada, who expressed her deep gratitude for the help and support of Ukrainian people provided by Canadians over the last year, and also, by Rahul Singh, the Executive Director of GlobalMedic, one of CUF’s partners in delivering food and hygiene kits to Ukraine.

Left to right: Rahul Singh, Alexandra Chyczij, Victor Hetmanczuk, Oksana Kuzyshyn, Laryssa Waler

KEY FACTS:

  • The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal is a joint effort of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC). For over a year, the two organizations have been working together to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver crucial humanitarian assistance to Ukrainians suffering in the brutal and unprovoked war.
  • Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on February 24th, 2022 – the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has raised over $52 million from 72,000 donors across Canada.
  • Primary focus of the humanitarian relief efforts was in the area of food security, medical care, and emergency shelter for displaced persons in Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries.
UCC – CUF Executives
Left to Right: Alexandra Chyczij, National President of UCC, Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the Board, CUF, and Oksana Kuzyshyn, COO, CUF

Since February 2022, the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has delivered:

  • 300 thousand boxes of food providing meals to 850,000 people in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania
  • 53 MT of medicines reaching 790,500 patients
  • 161 generators for hospitals, surviving families of Ukrainian armed forces personnel killed in action, and in support of Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy
  • 2,000 stoves for cooking and heating homes in recently liberated areas
  • 2,000 wooden beds, mattresses, duvets, pillows and bedding for the displaced persons
  • 1,000 sets of firefighting gear, 10,000 gloves specialized for the first responders
  • $1.2M in psychological assistance for civilians
  • 2 surgical missions who operated on 44 patients with severe craniofacial injuries, totalling 106 procedures
  • 20 Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) machines for wound infection treatment in hospitals in Western Ukraine plus consumables
  • 11 Toyota ambulances for Ukraine’s Ministry of Health
  • 3 Humanitarian Demining Robots
  • 1,000 pallets of cleaning supplies to displaced persons
  • 330 pallets of PPE to hospitals

According to UNICEF estimates, by the end of 2022, a total of 17.7 million people in Ukraine were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, including 3.4 million children. Currently, 5.9 million internally displaced persons are registered in Ukraine.

QUOTATIONS:

  • “Ukrainians are severely affected by Russian aggression. Russia has destroyed almost 50% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and most Ukrainians do not have access to basics, such as electricity, water, and heat. We are very grateful to CUF and UCC for delivering the generators with light masts for our teams of electricians, who can now efficiently repair the grid and restore the electricity, as well as the generators for hospitals and veterans’ families. More than 45,000 residential areas have been destroyed in Ukraine, with hundreds of thousands of people unable to return to their homes. CUF-UCC help set up temporary shelters by supplying the necessities, beds and mattresses, food and medical supplies, as well as sponsoring psychological support programs for Ukrainians. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I want to thank you for your support and ask you to continue standing with Ukraine until our common victory”, – Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada, Yulia Kovaliv.
  • “The Ukrainian Canadian community has been working non-stop to support our sisters and brothers in Ukraine in their heroic defence of their homeland from Russia`s genocidal war of aggression. Our community is immensely grateful to all Canadians for their steadfast, generous support of the Ukrainian people in their time of need.” – Alexandra Chyczij, National President, Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
  • “This year, more than ever, we are grateful to those who founded Canada-Ukraine Foundation in 1995, and to all those who have built its strong foundation, nurtured the relations both, here, in Canada, and in Ukraine, and kept the organization effective and efficient, so that when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th – we were there within a few days with the first tranche of humanitarian aid. Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal became the fund of choice to all across Canada, who wanted to support the humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine.” – Victor Hetmanczuk, Chair of the Board of Directors, Canada-Ukraine Foundation.
  • This ugly war in Ukraine has displaced over 16 million people. Brutal attacks on civilian infrastructure have damaged electrical grids and knocked out water purification facilities. One in three household are food insecure. People are hungry and need clean water. I am proud of our partnership with CUF. They have rallied the community to raise awareness and funds to help vulnerable families in need. With their support we have reached families in desperate need with life-saving humanitarian assistance. This war rages on and it is getting uglier. We must redouble our efforts to keep helping families in need.” – Rahul Singh, Executive Director, GlobalMedic.
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News Humanitarian/Medical

Ukraine’s energy grid, hospitals, and veterans’ families receive generators from the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Generators with light masts donated to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine

Ukraine’s energy infrastructure continuously sustains severe damages from frequent Russian drone and missile attacks. Just yesterday, Russia launched 17 drones followed by 59 rockets across Ukraine, targeting its energy infrastructure. People throughout the country, yet again, endured long hours without electricity. Prolonged blackouts, heating and water shortages are the reality for Ukrainians for over 11 months now. There is a crucial need for power generators to sustain basic living conditions.

To date, Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee – a joint partnership of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) committed to providing:

  • 50 large power generators with light masts for Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy
  • 60 generators for hospitals through its partnership with NGO Initiative E+
  • 46 generators for the families of war veterans through Global Medic

Chris Brown, foreign correspondent for CBC, did a story out of Chernihiv, Ukraine, on the use of the generators with light masts that enable the continuity of power network repairs, day and night. 27 units have already been delivered and are in use; remaining 23 are en route.

Our partner organization in Ukraine, NGO Initiative E+ has started delivery of the 60 generators to the hospitals, to ensure the continuity of patient care.

With the help of another partner, Global Medic, 46 generators will be shipped and delivered to the families of the veterans over the next month.

Generators at the Global Medic wear house in Toronto about to be shipped to Ukraine (left).
One of the hospital in Ukraine that received a generator though NGO Initiative E+(right).

Today, January 27th, marks one year since the launch of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal fund and the establishment of the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee to manage it. The $22.9 million of aid and assistance delivered as of December 2022, would not have been possible without the generosity and unwavering support of our donors across Canada. Thank you for helping Ukrainians remain resilient in the face of the Russian aggression! To learn more about the work of the Committee on the numerous ongoing humanitarian relief projects, please visit our website.

Background

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian assistance/relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.

Categories
News Humanitarian/Medical

“Warm Up Ukraine” project underway

"Warm Up Ukraine" Project of "Be Free" Youth Movement is realized in partnership with Canada-Ukraine Foundation and Ukrainian Canadian Congress

2,000 heating and cooking stoves are manufactured and being distributed in partnership with “Be Free” Youth Movement to low-income families in the rural communities of Eastern Ukraine.

The full-scale military aggression by the russian federation launched on February 24, 2022 has had a significant negative impact on the Ukrainian energy sector. Energy infrastructure facilities have been among the primary targets for the russian army. As of November 24, 2022, russia occupied or damaged about 50% of Ukraine’s installed power capacity. The 2022-2023 heating season in the whole country is at high risk, as reported by the International Energy Charter.

Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Committee (UHRC) – partnership of Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), has committed $5 million over the span of four months, December’22 – March’23, to Winterization program announced in December, to help support Ukrainians in the harsh winter months during wartime. One of the Winterization projects is “Warm Up Ukraine” with “Be Free” Youth Movement.

“Be Free” is a well-established organization in the rural communities of Sumy, Zhaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Mykolayiv, and Dnipropetrovsk in Eastern Ukraine. Through “Warm Up Ukraine” project, funded by the UHRC, 2,000 wood-burning stoves are being manufactured in Ukraine and distributed to the low-income families in these rural communities that often have multiple generations sharing the same household, which further increases the importance and benefit of these heating/cooking units.

An important aspect of this project is that these stoves are made by a local business in Ukraine with raw materials also sourced within the country, which means we are not only supporting local community, we are also supporting local economy.

UHRC has committed $551,072 CDN to this project, 10% of the total allocated for Winterization. The first report showed that 456 stoves were already distributed as of December 28th, and the next 750 will be distributed by January 10th of 2023, with remainder to follow shortly.

“Be Free” Youth Movement wrote, “In the absence of electricity and heating, the stove remains the only option to cook food and keep warm, it is the only way to survive in the war.”

Together, we help provide the basics to these families facing the cruel reality.

We are grateful to all our donors for the unwavering and steadfast support of our humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine for almost a year now. You have enabled us to fund many important projects like this one and help Ukrainians remain resilient in the face of the russian aggression. To learn more about our work, please visit our website.

Background

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian assistance/relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.

Categories
News Humanitarian/Medical

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – Winterization projects in Ukraine.

Ukraine continues to fight against russian aggression. Under daily missile attacks and prolonged blackouts, the army is strong and regular people – resilient.

Ten months ago, Canada-Ukraine Foundation and Ukrainian Canadian Congress established a partnership – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and joint Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Committee (UHRC) to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver crucial humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainians displaced to the neighbouring countries by war.

In the last few months, the UHR Committee allocated extra time and effort to winterization – projects that would ensure delivery of the type of aid people in Ukraine will desperately need during the harsh winter months under the continuous shelling, with no access to electricity or heat.

For the next four months, December 2022 – March 2023, the work of the UHR Committee will ensure:

  • Food security – 140,000 food boxes at 14 kg each, will feed 350,000 people. Distribution will focus on recently liberated regions.
  • Medicine & Medical supplies – 27,000 kg of medicines and hospital supplies will be delivered to 78 hospitals in Northern and Eastern oblasts.
  • Surgical missions – Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) will have its second mission in Poland before the year end to provide the surgical care to war casualties that could not be helped in Ukraine.
  • Winterization:
    • Care for the elderly – HelpAge Canada will provide all the necessary assistance to 2,300 seniors in 23 villages in Ukraine.
    • Women’s shelter support – will winterize and provide food support to Misto Dobra (City of Goodness) – women’s shelter in Chernivtsi.
    • Emergency shelter support – building and distributing 2,000 beds and mattresses to IDPs.
    • SOS Children’s Villages Canada will provide foods security, temporary shelter, non-food items and mental health support for 500 IDPs.
    • Heat – building and installing 2,000 wood burning stoves.
    • Light – Purchased 50 mobile generators with light masts for the Ministry of Energy for repair work.
  • Firefighting gear – 1,000 new sets of firefighting gear to be delivered to Ukraine’s Ministry of Emergency Services.
  • Ambulances – Purchased 11 Toyota ambulances for the Ukraine’s Ministry of Health.
  • Wound treatment – Purchased 20 Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) machines for wound infection treatment in hospitals in Western Ukraine.
  • First Aid kits – 11,000 chest seals added to 11,000 First Aid kits to upgrade them for trauma.

Please see the brief overview of the UHR Committee work in the 9 months since the full-scale invasion, as presented at the UCC XXVII Triennial Congress.

All the humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine in the last 9 months and aid planned for the next 4 months, would not have been possible without your unwavering support – thank you!

As the missile strikes and people’s suffering continue across Ukraine, please consider to further support our critical mission of helping our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. You can make a donation on our website.

Background

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian assistance/relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.

Categories
News Humanitarian/Medical

Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP): First mission since russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

September 5th to 20th, a team of 30 Canadian medical professionals travelled to Czeladz, Poland to treat Ukraine’s victims of war.

Team (35 individuals) consisted of:

  • Medicine
  • Anesthesia
  • Pharmacy
  • Nursing
  • Procurement/Equipment manager
  • Administration
Image is courtesy of Anka Wrzesnewskyj

The primary goal of the mission was to provide complex reconstructive surgical care to victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

This was an exploratory (pilot) mission to:

  • Organize and fully equip an expert multidisciplinary Canadian volunteer surgical team
  • Identify a suitable host hospital, and establish the requisite professional collaborations, processes and protocols
  • Develop and implement a method for patient referral, virtual triage, safe transport and repatriation
The host hospital: Powiatowy Zespół Zakładów Opieki Zdrowotnej in Czeladz, Poland // Image is courtesy of Anka Wrzesnewskyj

CUSAP is well supported by volunteers, supporters and donors. Over $1.5 million dollars of equipment and supplies were donated from major companies. Volunteers provided warehouses, physical and monetary support allowing the team to transport over 14,000 tons of medical supplies and equipment.

Logistical planning and arrangements involved multiple levels which included both Ministry of Health in Poland and Ukraine. Licensing, patient documentations and arrangements of transportation were a major focus to ensure the process ran effectively and efficiently.

Image is courtesy of Anka Wrzesnewskyj

The Canadian team together completed numerous virtual patient assessments and an initial outpatient preoperative clinic (September 11, 2022) assessing 45 patients. Patients arrived to Poland in ambulances and were admitted and assessed by both the Canadian and Polish teams. Patients underwent multidisciplinary assessments and preoperative anesthesia evaluations. Where required, surgical plans were developed and operating room bookings were completed.

After 5 days of surgery over 40 extremely complex procedures were performed. The surgeries focused on the reconstruction of post traumatic or post ablative defects and deformities of the face, craniofacial skeleton, and upper and lower extremities. Etiology of the deformities varied, including military and civilians but all were war casualties.

The patients were monitored postoperatively, and provided care by the Canadian ward team consisting of highly qualified physicians and nurses. Team continued to receive daily updates on progress and recovery post-mission, and also provided necessary advice and guidance to leading (Ukrainian) physicians on care for these patients. 

Images are courtesy of Anka Wrzesnewskyj

The stories shared by the patients left a mark on the whole team. From a young soldier who was the only survivor after an attack on his brigade, to the woman who lost her home and nearly her life when a missile hit her village on a bright summer day.

The war continues and innocent lives are affected and lost every day. There are many more stories like these and so many more people in need of our help. 

The next CUSAP mission is being planned for the end of the year. Please continue supporting the casualties of this war by donating to CUSAP via Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Background

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and deliver assistance projects generated by Canadians and directed to Ukraine and to the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada.

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