A Ukrainian emergency department doctor and a fellow NHS worker are leading a campaign to raise funds to buy vehicles and medical supplies to send to his home country.
Dr Anatoliy Telpov, who works for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust at South Tyneside Hospital, and his friend Kelly Storey, a medical secretary based at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (pictured below), are leading the call to collect cash.
More than £1,800 has been donated so far, with the pair hoping to raise many thousands more in the days ahead.
Both of their Trusts have already been involved in co-ordinated NHS efforts across the region to send aid to the country, while staff have also launched their own collections to help community campaigns.
Backed by colleagues and supporters, Dr Telpov and Kelly’s appeal aims to buy refurbished vehicles which a team, including Dr Telpov, will drive to the Polish border to hand on to friends who work as medics in Ukraine.
They also hope to hand over medical supplies, surgical equipment and helmets to help support the emergency services in the country.
Dr Telpov has worked in the UK for 20 years and lives in the North East with his wife and children.
He is originally from Ivano-Frankivsk, a city in the west of the country, with many of his loved ones remaining in Ukraine.
He is in frequent contact with his friends working in the medical profession there and is growing increasingly concerned about the resources they need to save lives and treat the ill and injured.
He said: “To see what is happening is terrible, the place is being destroyed. With my colleagues and staff and a lot of other people, we want to get these vehicles and drive them to the Ukraine border so we can give them to people who can use them to make a difference. We know many people want to find a way to offer their support. Any help will be much appreciated. We are trying to raise this money as soon as we can.”
The 55-year-old has teamed up with friend Kelly, who works as a medical secretary in rheumatology and in child health and is also a member of ambulance crew with a private ambulance company.
Kelly, 48, who lives in Whitley Bay, said: “I hope we can get supplies and vehicles to our colleagues in Ukraine, because this will help save lives. Any funds gifted will be gratefully received and any efforts, no matter how small, will help us reach our goal. We’re also asking people to share the details of our appeal to help spread the word.”
The team’s GoFundMe page can be found via https://gofund.me/6f85e7e2
