SUM medical relief expands to seven projects in Ukraine (03/07/99)

SUM medical relief expands to seven projects in Ukraine

YONKERS, N.Y. - Emergency Medical Aid for Ukraine (EMAU) was founded in the fall of 1991 by Drs. Peter and Orest Kozicky, and nurse anesthetist Roman Dashawetz to provide medical care for patients in Ukraine. From its initial mission trip, during which 2,000 pounds of medical supplies were hand-carried, to today's total of 440 tons of medical supplies and equipment, the philosophy of EMAU has been to train and work with Ukrainian medical personnel to provide Western-level treatment for thousands of Ukrainians.

The concentrated efforts of EMAU, which is affiliated with the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM), coordinated in Yonkers by Dr. Kozicky, in northern and central New Jersey by Zoryana Kovbasniuk and in the Delaware Valley Region by Roman and Anna Dashawetz, have now expanded the number of projects to seven in three major hospitals in Lviv. Concentration of donations to three hospitals - the Lviv Regional Clinic, Lviv Regional Hospital for Repressed and Invalids in Vynnyky, and the Lviv Regional Specialized Children's Hospital - was done to more efficiently use supplies and technology, and to provide closer control over donations.

The concentrated approach of EMAU has borne fruit in seven projects: two laparoscopic surgical projects, a cardiac catheterization and renewed open heart project (co-supported by the Children of Chornobyl, Pittsburgh Branch), a total hip prosthesis center, a knee and shoulder arthroscopic center, and the two newest projects: project "Lifeline," a pediatric dialysis program, and project "Babyface," a pediatric reconstuctive and plastic surgery project. Most projects are the first of their kind for western Ukraine.

Projects are ongoing, relying on supplies from EMAU and mission trips by American specialists to improve or teach new techniques to Ukrainian medical personnel. Thirty-five specialists have gone to Ukraine under EMAU and have provided expertise in orthopedics, gastroenterology, cardiology, anesthesiology, ophthalmology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, nephrology and invasive radiology. All mission members pay their own trip costs, and donate from one to two weeks of their time to work in Ukraine.

Project "Babyface," begun by Ms. Kovbasniuk, is the first of its kind in all of Ukraine. The plastic and reconstructive surgeries performed allow children with deformities, traumatic injuries and burns to restart their lives. Donations of plastic surgical suture from Ethicon Corp., tissue expanders from McGhan and Mentor corporations, and the expertise of Dr. Steven Cantrelle and Dr. Richard McShane, have provided the impetus for the creation of a plastic surgery team at the Lviv Specialized Children's Hospital. The cooperation and collegiality between American mission members and their Ukrainian counterparts have engendered hope in the future of medicine in Ukraine, despite critical economic problems faced by all Ukrainian hospitals.

This summer, spurred by dialysis engineer Joseph Maurizzi, who singlehandedly procured a large donation of dialysis machines from the Baxter Corp., a team of dialysis specialists went to Ukraine after almost a year of preparation, to start only the second pediatric dialysis center in all Ukraine. The project "Lifeline" center was set up, wall to wall, within one week. By the second week, a select team of Ukrainian doctors and nurses, who had been trained in using the Baxter equipment and in dialysis techniques by the American team, were themselves dialyzing children with both acute and chronic kidney failure. It is estimated that over 300 children in western Ukraine suffer from renal failure each year. This new center allows these children to get treatment nearer to their home regions. In the past, these children would have to travel to Kyiv, a 10- to 12-hour train ride, to receive curtailed treatments due to lack of funds and availability of supplies. Baxter Corp. has agreed to provide supplies at cost for the project, beyond its generous donation of dialysis machines and water treatment equipment.

An additional advantage of the new dialysis unit is in treating children suffering from a variety of poisonings. Lviv Regional Specialized Pediatric Hospital, as the multi-regional poison center, now has an added weapon in the emergency treatment of mushroom, heavy metal and chemical poisonings. The dialysis team members were: Sarah Colclough R.N., Mr. Maurizzi, Alex Kosenko M.D., Mr. Dashawetz, Patrick McDevitt and Marijka Gobur, M.D.

On this same mission trip, significant orthopedic and invasive radiologic innovations were brought to Lviv by Dr. Robert Buli, orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Jefferey Guller, invasive radiologist. Dr. Buli performed the first-ever in Ukraine total knee surgeries, and also bone cancer surgery on two teenage boys who received total knee prostheses, allowing them to walk normally. In the past amputation of the limbs would have been done. The generous donation of total knee prostheses by Johnson & Johnson, and shipping of large amounts of specialized instruments allowed several patients to lead more normal lives. Dr. Guller joined the cardiac and cardiology teams of Project "Coronary" to teach new techniques in cardiac catheterization and other invasive radiologic procedures. Project "Coronary" has been supported by EMAU for five years, in which time patients from western Ukraine have been able to receive treatment available only at centers in eastern Ukraine. Travel for cardiac patients is not only a hardship, but may be life-threatening.

This spring a state-of-the-art vascular ultrasound-doppler instrument will be sent to broaden the capabilities of Project "Coronary" in diagnosing cardiac and vascular disease. This $200,000 instrument was donated by Drs. Minor, Grabiak, Hager and Fisher of West Jersey Hospital System.

EMAU depends on the dedication of a core of coordinators and volunteers. This year, three shipments totaling 80 tons were made possible with shipping funds provided through the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee. Dozens of volunteers from the Philadelphia and Yonkers areas loaded containers for long hours in adverse weather conditions. Volunteers have spent difficult hours traveling to Ukraine at their own expense. Major medical corporations have seen the success of the teams in the introduction of their technology in Ukraine.

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