LSU Health New Orleans Medical Students Raise Funds for Humanitarian Aid for the Ukrainian People

March 23, 2022

The Student International Health Organization (SIHO) at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine is raising money to help support Ukraine. All proceeds will be donated to the Evangelical Ukrainian Baptist Church of Sacramento, which has volunteers on the ground throughout Ukraine and at refugee camps in Poland that have been providing medical supplies to the displaced.

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“We have direct connections to this dedicated group and are ensuring funds are being used to help those in need,” says Shivani Jain, SIHO President and MD Candidate 2024. “Anyone who donates at least $5 will receive an “I Stand With Ukraine” sticker 🇺🇦 which you can use to show solidarity.”

Donations can be made @LSUHSC_SIHO on Venmo, and the following Google form can be filled out for a sticker https://tinyurl.com/4tt2xae5.

“Sacramento has one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the US, and this offers direct connection to on-the-ground efforts in Western Ukraine,” notes Dr. Emilio Russo, SIHO Faculty Advisor.

Dr. Alison Smith also serves as a Faculty Advisor. Other members of the SIHO E-board are Taylor Fitzpatrick-Schmidt, Treasurer, and Hannah Dellacroce, Secretary.

MD-PhD student Nazary Nebeluk, PhD, has been working to get medical supplies to Ukrainian hospitals treating the victims of war. A member of the Medicine Class of 2022, Dr. Nebeluk was born in Ukraine. His ties to the country and culture run deep.

“While the potential war always seemed imminent since the seizure of Crimea, Russia’s invasion on February 24th shocked everyone,” says Dr. Nebeluk. “I remember crying that night and worrying about my family in Ukraine and the friends I had made during summer visits there. Some had already served defending Ukraine in Donetsk and Luhansk and now were rejoining the fight. I don’t know if any Ukrainian has slept soundly since, and those of us who emigrated are lucky enough not to be in direct conflict. Since then, everyone I know in the diaspora has been organizing and raising donations to help Ukraine. A number of LSU trainees besides me have roots in Ukraine and have been attempting to help.”

He, and Dr. Sergii Rusnak who has been in touch with physicians in Ukraine, say the most critical needs are IFAK trauma kits. Dr. Rusnak also emigrated from Ukraine and is an assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Office of Medical Education.

Adds Nebeluk, “The most critical needs currently also include hemostatic agents and tourniquets. Due to the indiscriminate nature of Russian bombing, even civilians are suffering a large amount of traumatic injury and hospitals are quickly being overwhelmed.”

He has been working with the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing medical aid, medical education and sharing medical science with its Ukrainian peers around the world.

“UMANA is a great organization that I have been a member of since I started medical school,” Nebeluk says. “They’ve been supporting the Ukrainian medical system since the country’s independence in 1991. They led efforts to translate large amounts of radiology texts to Ukrainian and raised funds for a PT/OT unit in Lviv for soldiers injured in the war in Donbas. They’re now focused on collecting donations of critical medications to be distributed directly to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and Ministry of Defense.”

As a 501c3, UMANA says 100% of donations are tax-deductible and will go to help the Ukrainian people. Donations can be made at this link: https://www.umana.org/payment.php?func=donate

“We are so proud of our students,” says Dr. Steve Nelson, LSU Health New Orleans Interim Chancellor. “They see a need and jump in to help. They live and breathe the LSU Health traditions of service and of giving back.”