Physically Challenged Orphans Receive Medical Assistance

UCARE continues to help orphans in Ukraine through its "Medical Assistance to Physically Challenged Orphans" project. In the past years, UCARE has helped disabled and sick children from many areas of Ukraine receive medical care within Ukraine.

UCARE volunteers in Kyiv coordinate the care. The volunteers greet the children upon their arrival, visit them while they are in hospital, and help take care of them while they are in the hospital. This includes changing bandages and providing food, as most Ukrainian hospitals are not full service

They are also visited by our stipendiaty, fellow orphans, who are now attending colleges or technical schools.

Many of the children need multiple surgeries and the prostheses need to be changed and adjusted as they grow since they become worn and broken. The care for them is never ending.

Two Children

Pictured below are Vitaliy and Kateryna, who have come to Kyiv for treatment. They live in the small city of Tsyurupins'k, located far south on the left bank of the Dnipro River, across from Kherson.

They both live and attend school in the special needs orphanage in town. The children at the school have significant disabilities – physical, mental, or both. Through the diligence of a very active director the children receive the best possible care.

UCARE, with the help of the Ortho-Tek Company, has provided these children with assistance with payment of surgeries and prostheses; and also provided medical equipment, wheelchairs and medications. UCARE volunteers have also brought clothing, shoes, art supplies, sports equipment, toys, picture books and chocolates for them.

In 2001, with the help of Dr. Roksolyana Khromey of L'viv, UCARE provided a new set of schoolbooks for the orphanage school. The books they've been using were twenty years old, falling apart, and too few.

When the children come to Kyiv for their care, our Kyiv staff and volunteers help them along each step of the way. They are greeted at thier arrival, provided with room and board during their stay, shown around town,transported to their medical appointments, as well as the hospital. As in many non-Western countries, limited care is provided by the medical staff. The patient's family is expected to feed, bathe and otherwise care for the patient, including providing and changing bandages. Our volunteers are these children's "family."

Vitaliy is pictured here (left) with his new prosthesis (a corset for his scoliosis). On the right is a room full of prostheses and molds at Ortho-Tek, a company which has worked with us to provide prosthetics for our orphans at minimal cost.