By Pat Merryweather-Arges, 2023-24 RI Vice President and a member of the Rotary Club of Naperville, Illinois, USA —
I met Dr. Olha Paliychuk shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. As we both work in healthcare, I knew the priority needs for addressing the physical harm in emergency situations and we communicated frequently by e-mail and WhatsApp. At the same time, the Ukraine Medical Association of North America (UMANA) opened a warehouse around O’Hare airport and medical donations poured in from around the US, but with most in the Chicago and Wisconsin areas.
Rotary District 6450 started a fundraising effort to secure medical supplies and equipment that were in great need, identified by Rotary members in Ukraine. We purchased equipment and supplies and secured air transportation through UMANA. Many Rotary members and non-members donated for Ukraine through the district.
We also worked with Dr. Olha to identify needs when Rotary established Disaster Grants for Ukraine. In the first 18 months, the need for advanced surgical equipment for brain trauma, limb amputations, and internal organ damage from mortar attacks and shrapnel became a priority.
At the same time, the strain of war on children and family members of front-line military and health care workers became very apparent. There has been an increased emphasis on mental health support for children and family members, as well as military members, during the past two years. That has now expanded to include emergency and healthcare workers.
While the wounds of physical injuries may heal over time, the mental wounds of war are deep and harder to address without mental health support. Even those without physical wounds suffer from the mental wounds of war.
War is not natural. Children and adults are not trained to injure one another, they are trained to be kind and helpful. War takes a major mental toll on those involved in conflict.
Dr. Olha has incorporated the mental health needs as a priority in her Rotary humanitarian efforts as the needs are so great and at times, overwhelming. As a district governor-elect, Olha will be in the United States for Rotary’s annual training event in Orlando in early February. This provided an ideal opportunity to plan a conference and invite other panelists to discuss the ongoing mental health impact of the war.
Special event: Healing the wounds of war, visible and invisible
The conference will take place 4 February in Chicago at the Ukraine Cultural Center. It is an opportunity for Rotary clubs in the district and beyond, as well as the public, to get involved and learn how they can help. The free-event will include heavy appetizers and a cash bar.
Speakers include:
Dr. Olha Paliychuk, MD, Ph.D, MSc, MBA, is from Ukraine and is a certified gynecologist oncology physician. A member of the Rotary Club of Cherkasy, she has been instrumental in working with Rotary members and clubs to identify supplies, equipment, and services needed for Ukraine. She has been a constant source of support for Ukrainians and Rotary members throughout the war.
John Hewko is CEO and General Secretary of Rotary. Hewko’s Ukrainian parents came to the United States in 1949 after having spent four years in a refugee camp in southern Germany. Hewko grew up speaking Ukrainian at home, and he and his wife, Marga, lived in Ukraine from 1991 to 1996. In 1991-1992, he played a small role in preparing the initial draft of Ukraine’s post-Soviet constitution and participating in the working groups that were developing the initial Ukrainian post-independence legislative initiatives. They still have a great deal of family, friends, and former colleagues in Ukraine and he has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine.
Chris Manson is the vice president of Government Affairs for OSF Healthcare based out of Peoria, Illinois. A former military officer and EMT, he consulted with UMANA and others to create Ambulances for Ukraine which has sent dozens of the emergency vehicles to Ukraine, sources from communities throughout the United States including Chicago and my home town of Naperville. Seven more ambulances are scheduled for delivery later this month.
Dr. Olga Maihutiak serves as the MedGlobal medical lead on Ukraine Medical needs working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and has trained over 260 frontline doctors in Chernihiv, Poltava, Odesa, and Dnipro in essential Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) techniques and Butterfly Network. She is on the board of UMANA, Ambulances for Ukraine, and Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
The conference will focus on the needs of Ukraine but also the need to promote peace and resolve conflicts. War is not natural. This is why peace is one of Rotary’s main causes. Every year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers. Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,700 fellows who now work in over 140 countries.
Our hope for this conference is that we can increase an understanding of the growing physical and mental health needs of Ukraine as the war approaches three years; identify areas that Rotary can assist in the healing process; and strategize how Rotary Peace Centers and Rotary Peace Fellows can play a role in promoting peace. Learn more about and register for the conference.
https://blog.rotary.org/2025/01/29/healing-the-wounds-of-war-in-ukraine-visible-and-invisible/