UMANA Foundation facilitates delivery of dialysis machines

CHICAGO - The Foundation of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA Foundation) on May 16 finalized the delivery of four kidney dialysis machines, donated by the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago to the consul general of Ukraine in Chicago, Borys M. Bazylevski, for urgent use in Kyiv.

In January of this year Consul General Bazylevski had issued an appeal to the community for renal dialysis machines desperately needed at the Center of Clinical Toxicology at the Ukrainian Children's Hospital in the capital of Ukraine.

The UMANA Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable, scientific and educational arm of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, began a search for possible donors of dialysis machines from among the medical establishment in Chicago.

The staff of the dialysis unit of Illinois Masonic Medical Center, a large teaching hospital on the city's north side, responded with enthusiasm, suggesting that since their unit was being upgraded, there was the possibility of obtaining the replaced machines for humanitarian aid. Pat Hammel, director of purchasing, shepherded the process in the early stages, referring the foundation to Bulcsu Balla, manager of clinical engineering. Preliminary evaluation and measurement of the donated material was done, and the delivery scheduled.

On May 16, the president and CEO of Illinois Masonic, Dr. Bruce Campbell, met with Consul General Bazylevski in the Clinical Engineering Department to personally deliver the donated dialysis machines. Dr. George Hrycelak, president of the UMANA Foundation, facilitated the turnover, expressing the foundation's gratitude to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for its assistance.

Consul Bazylevski sincerely and emotionally thanked Dr. Campbell on behalf of future patients whose lives will be immensely impacted by this act of kindness. The machines were then successfully transported to storage in preparation for shipment.

The UMANA Foundation is a non-profit organization, whose goal is to foster improvement in the health care of Ukrainians worldwide. The foundation serves as a repository of health care information, encouraging health care education, scientific discourse and publication of scientific medical journals. To support the work of the foundation, send donations to: UMANA Foundation, 2247 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 4, 2000, No. 23, Vol. LXVIII

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