Okhmatdyt’s Medical Staff: Faces of Resilience in the Face of Tragedy
On July 8, 2024, a day that will forever be etched in our hearts, the world witnessed the incomprehensible destruction caused by a massive Russian bombing campaign that targeted civilian areas in Ukraine, including a major cancer center, Kyiv’s Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital. The stories of the brave medical professionals and the innocent children affected by this heinous attack, paint a vivid picture of the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people.
Mariyana Morozova: A Day of Unimaginable Horror
Dr. Mariyana Morozova, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Okhmatdyt and expert in Razom’s Breathe initiative, shared her harrowing experience. She splits her time between a private clinic and Okhmatdyt, located just across the street from each other. On that fateful day, Dr. Morozova was working at the private clinic when the air raid sirens blared and explosions shook the ground.
“I tried to contact my colleagues at Okhmatdyt, but there was no response. I ran over there, and it was just a disaster! There were so many wounded,” she recalled. The intensive care unit’s lab technician was severely injured, suffering from a concussion, a jaw fracture, and bleeding. With the help of the entire community, they evacuated the most critical patients, including those in the neonatal ICU (Intensive Care Unit), neuro ICU, and surgical ICU. Dr. Morozova’s department was among the most severely damaged, and she tragically lost a dear friend and colleague, Dr. Svitlana Luk’yachuk. Miraculously, all the children survived, but the emotional scars will remain forever.
Alyona Bezlehka: First Day Back Turns into a Nightmare
For rehabilitation specialist Alyona Bezlehka, it was her first day back at work after a vacation. She had been eagerly anticipating reuniting with her patients. As the explosions began, she quickly led her patients to the corridor and then to the bomb shelter. Returning to her department on the 5th floor, she encountered her colleague, covered in blood and holding a child they couldn’t evacuate in time.
“The floor was covered in blood and dust. I am not a surgeon, but I saw bandages and started applying them to stop the bleeding,” she recounted. Among the chaos, one boy’s cries for his grandmother haunted her. He was in shock, shivering, and vomiting, with his hand covered in blood. The sight of injured children, medical staff on stretchers, and parents with bandaged heads was overwhelming. Her department was almost completely destroyed, with windows blown out and the ceiling collapsed. Despite the devastation, the motivation to help and the outpouring of support from the community kept her going.
Valeriy Bovkun: Narrow Escape from Death
Valeriy Bovkun, head of the Department of Reconstructive-Plastic Microsurgery at Okhmatdyt, was organizing the evacuation of patients when the explosion occurred. “I was in my office when the sirens started, and then went out to check if the patients were moving to safe places. Moments later, the explosion occurred. My office was critically damaged: the blast wave tore out the window and threw it right onto my workspace,” he recounted. If he had stayed a moment longer, he would likely have been buried under the rubble. Thanks to the timely evacuation, most patients were unharmed, but five staff members were injured by glass shards.
Despite being in a state of shock, Valeriy and his colleagues immediately began providing first aid to the injured. “We applied bandages and sutures, examined the children, and did everything we could to help,” he said.
Roman Shevchenko: From Routine to Ruin
Roman Shevchenko, head of the Children’s Sleep Laboratory at Okhmatdyt, was in the laboratory next to the building hit by the missile. “By the time the explosion happened, we had not yet managed to get to the shelter, so after the impact, glass shards flew at us. I was slightly injured, but our nurse was severely cut by glass and bleeding. We started looking for something to bandage her with, but there was nothing nearby, so we went down to the floor, and there I provided her with first aid,” he explained. Despite the devastation, most of the laboratory’s equipment remained intact and continued to function. “We had a laptop on the windowsill, it was covered with glass but still working!” Roman recounted in astonishment.
He emphasized the unexpected timing of the attack: “Russia struck right after all the morning meetings were over and all the doctors had started working. We were already used to Russia striking at night, so this attack was completely unexpected.”
Photos courtesy of Okhmatdyt medical staff.
How You Can Help:
The attack on Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital has devastated the lives of many innocent victims and shaken the global community. Razom Health is actively on the ground, mobilizing crucial supplies and support for those affected.
You can make a difference today by supporting our dedicated teams as they work tirelessly to aid the victims of the Okhmatdyt tragedy and other healthcare facilities in Ukraine that remain under constant threat of attack.
Donate now to provide immediate relief and assistance to those in need.
Razom at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2024: Building a Stronger Future
The future of Ukraine is bright, and Razom was proud to be a part of the recent Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) held in Berlin on June 11th and 12th, 2024.
This landmark conference, co-hosted by Germany and Ukraine, brought together over 3,000 attendees, including government officials, business leaders, activists, and dedicated Ukraine supporters. The goal was to chart a course for Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and long-term success.
At Razom, we believe in the power of civil society, the “third sector,” to play a vital role in rebuilding Ukraine. Our presence at URC2024 was about amplifying the voices of Ukrainians and advocating for their needs in the reconstruction process.
Seizing Russian Assets: A Major Step for Ukraine at the German Parliament
Razom’s busy week at the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2024) wasn’t just about sharing our story. We were involved in a critical parliamentary breakfast on seizing frozen Russian assets.
This historic event, co-hosted by the German Parliament, drew a record crowd and media attention. It directly influenced a powerful international letter urging the G7 to confiscate these assets. Learn more: HERE
Razom extends thanks to our German partners and applauds Yuliya Ziskina for her role in this success.
Building Bridges and Sharing Success
The Ukraine Recovery Conference was also about building connections and fostering collaboration. Razom seized the valuable opportunity to network with other civil society leaders from across Europe. This allowed us to share Razom’s story and the work we’re doing to support Ukraine on the ground.
One such connection proved particularly fruitful. We were excited to meet the team behind Himera, a Ukrainian tactical communication systems manufacturer. Razom actually purchases radios from Himera for our Razom Heroes Program, which equips Ukrainian first responders with vital communication tools! Learn more about Himera: HERE
A Look Ahead: Rebuilding Together
URC2024 was a resounding success, demonstrating a strong international commitment to supporting Ukraine. Razom is energized by the collaborative spirit and sense of purpose that emerged from the conference. We are confident that by working together – government, businesses, civil society, and everyday citizens – we can build a brighter future for Ukraine.
We invite you to join Razom in our ongoing efforts to support Ukraine. Visit our Programs page to learn more about our work and see how you can contribute.
Let’s keep the momentum going! Together, we stand with Ukraine.
International Day for the Protection of Children
June 1st is the International Day for Protection of Children. Nowadays, Ukraine’s children fight for a stolen childhood. For ten years, Ukrainian kids have been losing loved ones to the war in the East and for over two years, Russia has been actively committing atrocities, killing children daily and forcibly taking them from their families. This is not just a tragedy, it is genocide.
At Razom, we are dedicated to supporting and protecting these children through various projects and initiatives.
Future Project:
By supporting camps and centers for kids and teenagers, we aim to provide more than just education, skills, and safety in high-risk areas. Our goal is also to prevent young people from losing their sense of direction. Supporting these kids today means creating a healthier future populace who will be able to contribute to a stable and renewed country.
Razom Toy Drive:
The children of fallen defenders in Ukraine are under constant stress and in dire need of help. The Razom Toy Drive team is committed to wrapping these children’s hearts with warmth and love, recognizing their immense courage and resilience in the face of war. Read more: here
Razom Ticket:
This initiative aims to increase engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines among Ukrainian children. We strive to provide a head start for kids in the world of professional science, IT, and entrepreneurship. Read more: here
The Co-Pilot Project: We have brought, and continue to bring doctors on mission trips to Ukraine to operate on children and save lives, ensuring they receive the medical care they desperately need. Read more: here
Razom z Toboyu (Razom with You): This network of centers is designed to provide mental health support to individuals, both children and adults, who have been affected by war. Read more: here
We are actively speaking out against the forcible and illegal deportation of Ukrainian kids by Russia, bringing international attention to these heinous acts. Read more: here
Your support is crucial in helping us continue these vital projects. Together, we can make a difference and offer support to the youngest victims of this war.
Donate to Razom and help us support and empower Ukrainian children.
Kharkiv Under Siege: Evacuations, Resistance, and the Plight of Vovchansk and Lyptsi
The city of Kharkiv and surrounding areas in northeastern Ukraine have been at the forefront of the war since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Despite relentless shelling and attacks and because of Ukrainians’ toughness and fortitude, the city remains in Ukraine’s hands.
This year, there has been an escalation in fighting around Kharkiv, with Russia launching a new offensive in early May 2024.
Ukrainian forces are battling to hold back the Russian advance, with the villages of Lyptsi and Vovchansk being among the most vulnerable places. As the fighting intensifies, the number of people forced to flee their homes continues to rise. The most recent reports indicate that more than 5,900 people have been evacuated from the region, highlighting the desperate situation for civilians.
Vovchansk:
The town of Vovchansk, once a bustling community of 20,000 people, has been reduced to a ghost town due to the ceaseless bombardment. Only a few hundred residents remain, trapped in a war zone with dwindling supplies and limited access to essential services.
Razom’s Partners and Grantees are on the Ground:
“During the evacuations, all volunteer teams came under fire. One of the vehicles was completely shot up by the occupiers. The driver was wounded, but luckily everyone survived, thanks to the fact that this particular vehicle was armored. Most of the vehicles have “volunteer” written on them, but this does not stop the enemy. Civilians were also among the injured, who were wounded by Russian occupiers with weapons. People carry small bags with them, because there is no time to linger, and they did not plan to leave their homes. Among them are many middle-aged people (50+) for whom it is difficult to leave their home, their property, their livestock, everything that made up their life. However, evacuation is necessary to save lives,” says Vladislav Kulov, Kharkiv Media Hub, Razom’s partners.
Lyptsi:
Just south of the ravaged Vovchansk lies Lyptsi, a village of roughly 4,500 people. While not as heavily bombarded as Vovchansk, Lyptsi’s fate is just as brutal. The village was occupied in the early days of the war by Russia and then retaken by Ukraine later in 2022. However, with the renewed offensive, Lyptsi finds itself back in the hot zone. Residents there are facing renewed shelling or possibly another occupation.
Razom has been working tirelessly to facilitate evacuations and provide aid to those displaced by the war.
Razom’s Partners and Grantees on the Ground:
“We are evacuating people from Lyptsi. Indeed, not only people. Today there were two dogs, chickens with chicks, a guinea pig, and a dozen ducklings. People are scared, sometimes very nervous. Most of them have already been under occupation. They say: ‘We won’t survive another time; they will kill everyone’. The process can be very difficult, some people hope that it will pass somehow, that there is still time.” – Oleksiy Almazov, Ukrainian Frontiers (Українські Рубежі), one of Razom’s grantees.
Your Support is Crucial!
The people of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region are facing unimaginable hardship. With your support, Razom can continue to provide life-saving assistance and help to evacuate.
Donate to Razom for Ukraine today and make a difference in the lives of those affected by the war.
Together, we can stand with Ukraine and help them overcome this dark chapter in our history.
Celebrate Ukrainian Culture and Strength with Vyshyvanka Day!
#RazomVyshyvankaDay 🇺🇦
As we gear up to celebrate Vyshyvanka Day on May 16th, let’s delve into the significance of this intricate embroidered garment and why it holds such a profound place in Ukrainian culture.
The vyshyvanka is more than just a piece of clothing; it’s a vibrant tapestry woven with history, symbolism, and regional flair. Each stitch and motif carries a deeper meaning, passed down through generations. Here’s a glimpse into the rich symbolism embedded in Ukrainian embroidery:
• Colors hold significant meaning. Red symbolizes passion, love, and prosperity; blue represents peace, sky, and water; yellow signifies the sun, harvest, and joy.
• Ukrainian embroidery can reflect a blend of ancient beliefs and Christian faith. Geometric patterns like circles and squares might represent the sun, earth, or fertility, while Christian symbols like crosses and stars can also be incorporated.
• Embroidery styles and motifs differ across Ukraine’s diverse regions. For example, the Poltava region is known for its colorful floral patterns, while the Chernihiv region features intricate geometric designs.
Why Vyshyvanka Day Matters
Celebrating Ukrainian Culture:
Vyshyvanka Day is a day when Ukrainians worldwide proudly don their embroidered attire, showcasing their solidarity and unwavering commitment to preserving their heritage. It’s a celebration that not only honors the past but also paves the way for future generations to embrace their roots.
Resisting Cultural Erasure:
The vyshyvanka stands as a symbol of resistance. As Russia seeks to undermine Ukrainian identity, this traditional garment becomes a powerful tool of defiance, reminding the world that the spirit of Ukraine cannot be extinguished.
Share your photos on social media using #RazomVyshyvankaDay and #VyshyvankaDay to raise awareness about this important cultural symbol and inspire others to participate.
On Vyshyvanka Day, let’s not only adorn ourselves with the beauty of embroidered patterns but also carry forward the legacy they represent. Let’s stand in solidarity with Ukraine, embracing its culture, history, and unwavering spirit. Together, let’s weave a tapestry of resilience, unity, and hope that transcends borders and generations.
Join the movement, wear your vyshyvanka with pride, and let the world witness the enduring strength of Ukraine.
