The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP), a joint initiative of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, has finished its sixth surgical mission in Czeladź, Poland since February of 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine forcing surgical missions, previously held in Ukraine since 2014, to relocate to Poland.
This mission differed from the previous five in Poland – as the cranio-facial component of CUSAP transformed into a surgical educational initiative held in Ukraine, this mission in Poland focused solely on patients with traumas to upper and lower extremities. The team of 29 Canadian volunteers conducted 15 consultations, and in 5 OR days, operated on 11 patients with devastating injuries sustained in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The team completed over 30 complex orthopedic and extremity surgical procedures on patients who would otherwise not be able to receive care in Ukraine due to overwhelming demand. These surgeries focused on renewing functionality and thus improving these patients’ quality of life.
The heart and soul of these missions is the multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthetists, intensivists, nurses, an occupational therapist, and administrative staff. This is highly-specialized team of incredibly skilled professionals who continuously volunteer their time and expertise to treat those severely injured in Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The volunteers’ impact goes far beyond providing medical care; their hours of dedication and hard work had a profound effect on the lives of the patients and their families. They also provided hope to all Ukrainians by showing that people from halfway across the world are willing to lend their time and expertise in a moment of immense need.
CUF is grateful to our host, Zagłębie Clinical Hospital, and to its incredible administration and staff, for welcoming our team and Ukrainian patients for six successful missions in the last two years.
CUSAP has been greatly supported by the in-kind donations of surgical equipment and medical devices over the years. This time, our patients have also benefited from the large in-kind donation made by Biomiq Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of advanced wound care solution, PureCleanceTM STAT. This wound-cleansing / treatment solution has been used in debridement stage of surgeries on lower extremities, as well as in wound care, pre- and post-operatively. We are immensely grateful to Biomic Inc., and to a number of others, who have been supporting our humanitarian surgical initiative since 2014! Thank you!
CUF would also like to extend our gratitude to our donors and supporters. We are incredibly thankful for your contribution and for being such an important part of our cause. Your generosity makes this humanitarian assistance program possible and forever impacts the community of Ukrainian veterans and civilians we serve.
It is more important than ever to remain committed to assisting Ukrainians in this time of need. As we conclude another successful surgical mission in Poland, we are reminded of the work that remains to ease the tremendous burden on Ukraine’s healthcare system. On behalf of everyone at CUF and CUSAP, we thank you for your ongoing support in helping us change the lives of Ukrainians.
Until next time!
Background
Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) is a national registered charity founded in 1995 and has a strong track record of providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the areas of healthcare, education, and civil society.
Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) is a humanitarian surgical aid initiative that provides life-changing care to patients affected by the war in Ukraine. The surgeries have significantly improved the quality of life of Ukrainians who undergo the operations.
