A Collingwood couple with ties to Ukraine continues to collect medical supplies and cash to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine while the country is under Russian attack.
Locals Andy Tereshyn and his wife Alexsandra Chafranska, who both have family still in Ukraine, started collecting medical supplies and donations for hospitals when Russia attacked Ukraine in Feburary, 2022.
At that time, Tereshyn said he was "shaken" by the suffering of Ukrainians, and wanted to do something to help.
Working with the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, Tereshyn has funnelled the supplies donated in Collingwood to the humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine. A collection box went up at the Collingwood Fire Department in March, and has been there ever since. It's available as a drop-off spot 24/7 for medical supplies and medicine. Supplies can also be left at RX Drug Mart Stayner Pharmacy.
Tereshyn was at the Collingwood Farmer's Market last weekend and will be there again on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect supplies and monetary donations, which will go through the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and are eligible for tax receipts.
The supplies urgently needed include:
- Wound Care and Hemostatic Agents – available at speciality stores or online at Amazon.ca
- Dressings: Xtrasorb, Mesorb, Inadine, Mepilex, Mepore
- Tourniquets
- Emergency Compression Bandage Dressing (Israel style)
- WoundSeal Blood Clotting Topical Powder
- Chemical Blood Clotting agents and dressings (Celox, Bleedstop, QuikClot, etc.)
- Iodosorb powder
- Easifix bandages
- Chest seals – Hyfin
- Trauma scissors / EMT Shears
- Thermal Emergency blanket
- Over-the-counter supplies:
- Triple antibiotic cream, Neosporin, Polysporin
- Burn dressing, spray, cream, gel
- Children’s medicines
- Waterproof tape
- Self-adherent wrap, wide
- Antifungal cream, Lotrimin
- Surgical dressing, large
- Adhesive gauze pads, large
- Rolled gauze
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation's work includes supporting displaced Ukrainians in Canada as well supporting Ukrainian healthcare institutions, education, and social justice and sustainable development in Ukraine.
The foundation's website states it has delivered food boxes to almost one million people in 21 oblasts (regions) and delivered hospital supplies and medicines to 78 hospitals across Ukraine as of Sept. 1, 2022.
The foundation's humanitarian relief committee has also done the following with donations:
- Started a war trauma therapy program for 9,900 children over two years
- Purchased 1,000 new sets of personal equipment for firefighting
- Re-launched the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program with the first mission complete in Poland
- Harvest is expected this month from 140 metric tons of buckwheat seeds delivered this summer
- The Displace Ukrainians Appeal has funded more than 1,000 displaced children in Ukraine-Canadian summer camps across Canada.
Charitable donations to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation can also be made online via Canadahelps.org.
