A Vancouver Island humanitarian group is preparing for its sixth mission to Ukraine, with plans to deliver critical medical assistance and support children in four communities as Russian attacks increasingly threaten the country’s west. Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine is launching a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising between $100,000 and $110,000 to make the spring mission possible. The organization has already delivered more than $1 million in aid to western Ukraine, but its partners say the need for support has never been greater. That need is becoming increasingly urgent in places once considered relatively safe from the fighting. Oleg Atamaniuk runs a children’s hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk, which also partners with a military hospital. He says the city has experienced deadly Russian attacks in recent weeks, with jet-powered drones increasingly getting past Ukrainian air defences. “Two weeks ago three people died in our city,” Atamaniuk said. “Four weeks ago one person died in our city.” Bob Beckett of Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine says he is in almost daily contact with partners in the region and has watched conditions deteriorate at an alarming pace. “It’s staggering,” Beckett said. Despite the growing danger, Beckett plans to return with the team this spring. “We are looking at raising approximately $100,000 to $110,000 to reach all of the goals,” he said. “The needs are great or greater than they have ever been.” Hospital equipment and support for injured soldiers Two hospitals are among the priorities for the upcoming mission. The hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk has requested specialized surgical equipment used to seal blood vessels, along with funding for bovine pericardium, a biological material used in complex reconstructive surgeries, including procedures for soldiers injured in the war. The second hospital, in Kiverstsi, is seeking diagnostic equipment that assesses nerve and muscle function, helping medical teams identify injuries and monitor patients’ recovery. Helping children find a sense of normalcy The organization’s work with four Ukrainian communities will also focus on giving children opportunities to learn, participate and connect with others despite the disruption of war. In Olyka, the request is for a used minibus to transport children to sports activities and performing arts events. Beckett says local partners have stressed how important those opportunities are for children whose daily lives are shaped by uncertainty. Organized recreation can help restore routine and give young people a chance to simply be children. In Horokhiv, the community wants to expand its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education program with an interactive activity centre. The group is being asked to help fund furniture and teaching equipment. Kamin-Kashyrski is seeking computer equipment for four extracurricular institutions serving approximately 1,400 children between the ages of eight and 16. Many are internally displaced by the war or have parents serving in the military. They say the computers would help develop digital literacy and skills that could open doors to future education and employment. The fourth community is also included in the group’s planned projects. For Beckett and the volunteers, the mission is about continuing relationships built over five previous trips and responding to needs that are becoming more pressing as the war continues. “Right now it is so challenging over there,” Beckett said. The group is counting on support from Vancouver Island residents to help turn its partners’ requests into reality. Donations towards the $100,000 to $110,000 fundraising goal can be made through Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine’s website at vancouverislandsupportsukraine.ca.
