Ukrainian Gift of Life Inc. aims to assist children needing surgery (05/04/97)

Ukrainian Gift of Life Inc. aims to assist children needing surgery

GLEN ROCK, N.J. - Ukrainian Gift of Life Inc. is coordinating a fund-raising campaign, Have a Heart: Save a Heart!, to raise an initial $6,000 by May 15 to provide transportation for three mothers and their children to travel from Ukraine to the U.S. so that the children can undergo life-saving heart surgery scheduled in June.

Ukrainian Gift of Life is currently working with Rotary Clubs in New Jersey, New York and Lviv and a diagnostician in Ukraine to bring Ukrainian children with congenital heart defects to America for such surgery.

The Rotary Gift of Life Program has been in existence since 1974. Since joining this program in 1985, New Jersey's Rotary District has sponsored over 120 children from foreign countries including Santa Domingo, Korea, Poland, Trinidad, Haiti, Guatemala, Anguilla, Armenia and Georgia, where the necessary technology and/or equipment are not available for these surgeries.

Ukrainian Gift of Life Inc., a non-profit corporation was established last year by George and Kathy Kuzma, Marie Hywel and Ann Kowal to specifically make this program available for children in Ukraine. Ukraine, still emerging from the economic aftereffects of the collapse of Soviet communism, has not yet developed the technological ability to perform the surgery necessary to save the lives of children born with certain congenital heart defects. These children will die without our help and the talent of American doctors and hospitals.

In June, 1996 the Kuzmas and Ms. Kowal traveled to Ukraine and established contact with two Basilian nuns, the Lviv Rotary Club and a diagnostician trained in the United States. By September 1996, 12 cases were submitted for evaluation. Four children were recommended for additional testing (one of whom has died), and most recently three of the children have been scheduled for surgery at Montefiore Hospital in New York. The children are: Michael Karpets, 4, hosted by the Paramus Rotary Club; Nicholas Mykhaylyshyn, 3, hosted by Bayonne Rotary Club; Christina Andrushkiw, 2, hosted by the Wyckoff Rotary Club.

At this time, there are 10 additional children whose records are being evaluated for possible surgery and seven more who have been diagnosed in Ukraine for further evaluation. There are scores of children in need, whose parents cannot afford to pay for the surgery even where the technology is available. The average wage in Ukraine is $77 per month, with many earning far less and not being paid for months at a time.

In this program, Ukrainian Gift of Life is currently committed to provide $2,000 per child and parent. Airline discounts have been pursued unsuccessfully. Beyond that however, Ukrainian Gift of Life is committed to logistical and spiritual support of the mother and child and those who will tend to them. For example, these funds will also be used for the purchase of Ukrainian American dictionaries for the host family and the children's mother as well as to offset medical expenses when the children return to Ukraine. Translators, with some medical background to greet the mothers and children at the airport and to be at the hospital, especially on the initial hospital visit and day of surgery, are being located in each area. Each Rotary Club has raised $5,000 to sponsor the surgery and has located host families where the child and parent will live while in America.

Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to: Ukrainian Gift of Life, Inc., Suite 333, 233 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07451; checks can be made payable to: Ukrainian Gift of Life Inc.

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