5TH LIFE-CHANGING MEDICAL MISSION OF THE CANADA UKRAINE SURGICAL AID PROGRAM (CUSAP) HAS TAKEN PLACE IN POLAND APRIL 20 - MAY 8

TORONTO, May 20, 2024 /CNW/ - 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 fifth surgical mission in Czeladź, Poland. The team of 64 Canadian volunteers (only 18% of Ukrainian descent) have conducted 62 consultations and in 8 OR days, operated on 37 patients with devastating traumas sustained in Russia's war on Ukraine.

The team saw some of the most complicated injuries from the war and completed highly complex craniofacial, orthopedic and hand / peripheral nerve reconstructive procedures on patients who would otherwise not be able to receive care in Ukraine due to overwhelming demand.

The heart and soul of these missions is the multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthetists, intensivists, nurses, administrative staff, and other specialties, including a psychologist and an occupational therapist. This is a well-rounded team of incredibly skilled professionals from across Canada, who continuously volunteer their time and expertise since 2014 to treat those severely injured in Russia's genocidal 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.

On April 25^th, we welcomed the Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine, Natalka Cmoc. The Ambassador was greeted at the host hospital in Czeladź, Poland, where CUSAP missions have been held since the fall of 2022. Hospital Administration and the Polish medical team spoke to the Ambassador about how meaningful it is to them to host the CUSAP missions and be a part of the team assisting Ukrainians in the time of war.

Her Excellency had the opportunity to tour the host hospital and meet with Ukrainian patients, who shared their personal stories and how eagerly they await the next steps in their recovery. 

The Ambassador spoke to the CUSAP multidisciplinary medical team and thanked them for volunteering their time and skills to help Ukraine's victims of war.

We were honoured by the Ambassador's visit and thanked Her Excellency, Natalka Cmoc for giving her time to learn about our surgical program.

CUF also extends its gratitude to the donors and supporters of CUSAP. People's generosity makes this humanitarian assistance program possible and forever impacts the community of Ukrainian veterans and civilians CUSAP serves.

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.

QUOTATIONS:

• "The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program is an outstanding example of how Canadian volunteers support Ukrainian doctors and Ukrainian patients. In the past 10 years, volunteer medical professionals from Canada have provided invaluable support to more than 280 trauma patients from Ukraine. This is remarkable cooperation – Ukrainian doctors collect complete medical history for every patient and help coordinate preparation for the surgeries, take part in the surgeries and oversee the rehabilitation. Under the impact of war, they are the people who will take trauma care and post-trauma reconstruction in Ukraine to a new level. The surgeries here are life-changing. Ukrainian patients would not be able to receive full treatment like this in Ukraine at this time. Every case is very complex, but all the patients without exception are optimistic and incredibly strong. They know they are not alone and in good hands. I wholeheartedly wish them full recovery. According to the surgeons, several years ago most of the patients in these missions were veterans. Now there are more and more civilians with severe traumas. It reflects the scale and toll of Russian war in Ukraine." - Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine, Her Excellency Natalka Cmoc
  
  
• "On behalf of CUF, I would like to thank all the physicians and surgeons, nurses and all the support staff who have given selflessly of their time. I am overwhelmed by their devotion to CUSAP program and to the patients treated. The CUSAP family ensured that this mission was successful and provided their patients hope for the future. CUF is honoured to be part of this program as a funding partner." – Olesia Luciw-Andryjowycz, Secretary, Chair of the Civil Society Committee, Director, Canada-Ukraine Foundation.
  
  
• "This 5th CUSAP mission has yet again proven the value of providing complex reconstructions through a mobile tertiary surgical unit. The capacity to provide comprehensive care to so many patients with so many devastating injuries in such a short space of time exceeds all expectations. It is truly remarkable to witness what a group of dedicated volunteers can accomplish.
  
  The impact of these interventions is difficult to quantify. A young man whose life was abruptly torn apart when shrapnel removed his entire midface was initially angry, withdrawn, depressed. Following a series of reconstructive procedures, he is admiring his new nose in a mirror, smiling, giving us a thumbs up. A woman who sustained horrible injuries to both legs in a Russian missile strike on her home was threatened with bilateral amputations. This mission she stands up to "dance" with the orthopedic surgeon who salvaged both legs. The individual stories of resilience and renewed hope are both heartwarming and inspiring
  
  The reality is however that as Russia persists in its war on Ukraine, both the number of casualties and the need for sustained surgical aid continue to increase. We will need to adapt to meet these needs. There is no question that building capacity within Ukraine and providing Ukrainian health care professionals with the tools and expertise to treat their own is a priority. We will continue to modify and adapt our programs to provide the greatest support possible to Ukraine, to those injured by Russia's war, and to those struggling to repair those injuries." - Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn, Professor, Division of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, University of Toronto. Reconstructive surgeon at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre. Founder and head surgeon of CUSAP.

News posts about the 5^th mission can be found at https://www.cufoundation.ca/news/

KEY FACTS:

• The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) is a humanitarian surgical aid initiative established by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation together with the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2013 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.
  
  
• The Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was founded in 1995 and has a strong track record of providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the areas of healthcare, education, and civil society.

SOURCE Canada-Ukraine Foundation

Marianna Kaminska, [email protected], [phone]