A team of 25 Canadian medical professionals, including eight surgeons, will arrive in Ukraine on Nov. 7 to perform reconstructive surgery for Ukrainians injured during the EuroMaidan Revolution and Russia's war against Urkaine, Victor Hetmanczuk, head of the Canada - Ukraine Foundation charity says.
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation invited Canadian physicians to train doing major surgical operations. Canadian doctors will also try to lend expertise to Ukrainian physicians.
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation seeks to reduce poverty, develop churches and improve medical and surgery standards.
The foundation has five projects in Ukraine:
1. Supporting survivors of the “Heaven Hundred,” the protesters killed in February in sniper attacks allegedly ordered by ex-President Viktor Yanukovych;
2. Support of soldiers;
3. First aid training courses;
4. Support of widows and children of slain Ukrainian soldiers; and
5. Providing meaningful activities for soldiers and orphans who are bed-ridden.
On Oct. 16, Hetmanczuk presented an “Operation Rainbow Canada” program that was launched by University of Toronto to accomplish major surgical operations as in Canada.
According to the United Nations report on Sept. 5 there are officially 3,000 dead and 7, 000 injured Ukrainians.
Canada-Ukraine Foundation, which started in 1998, has 23 missions around the world.
The medical group coming on Nov. 7 will consist of plastic surgeons to operate on the faces and skulls and some anaesthetists to help recovering preoperative and postoperative periods.
After the medical group meets with embassy representatives, they will work in four operating rooms of Kyiv military hospital from Nov. 10-15.
The foundation intends to treat about 100 patients. Hetmanczuk said: “We want to get an evidence of potency such operation.”
Next year, the foundation is going to host two or three Ukrainian physicians for a fellowship.
Kyiv Post staff writer Julia Kukoba can be reached at [email protected].
