The Saint George Ukrainian Festival took place this past weekend in the East Village, New York.
This annual event marks a wonderful time of celebration of Ukrainian culture as we come together — Razom!
Razom was so happy to take part in this event through hosting our Razom Lounge. It was great to meet so many new individuals and start conversations about Razom projects.
Many of you donated, tried out our VR experience, or stopped by to mark where you’re from in Ukraine on our interactive map (thank you to Bohdan Yaremko for making the map!), stop by for a chat with a Razom volunteer, bought Ukrainian books, got yourself a cool Razom t-shirt, and lucky two of you even won tickets to the June 2 Jamala concert. It was a wonderful weekend and we would like to thank everyone for coming to support.
We thank all attendees and our amazing Razom volunteers for making this possible. And hoping to see you next year!
Enjoy this special video by Markian Nychka. Featured in video are:
We are grateful to Igor Martiniouk for the awesome group photo of Razom volunteers featured above, and to Markian Nychka and other volunteers for all the amazing photos from the Festival.
It is said, “If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends.” We will not let that happen. Thank you for supporting us in so many ways towards ensuring Ukraine continues to get all the help it needs.
Dear Razom Supporter,
To be confronted over and over again with how the war has ravaged Ukraine and the people who have done what others only speak of to protect and uphold their democracy and freedom, can be devastating. But thanks to your stunning compassion and generosity, Razom has been able to reach more people than we ever imagined and solidify our network to proudly support Ukraine now and in the years ahead.
In 2022, more than 175,000 donors made it possible for us to deploy over $62 million towards our mission to save lives in Ukraine and meet the dynamic and critical needs of Ukrainians as they continue to resist russian forces.
The passionate outpouring of support from people like you created a tremendous opportunity for our programs. In order to achieve the greatest impact, we have now focused our efforts on the following five critical areas of support:
In each of these five categories, together with Razom staff, volunteers and our partners, we’ve been able to have tremendous impact on the lives of Ukrainians from all walks of life.
When the world needs to hear the truth about russia’s actions and aggression, Razom Advocacy is there. In 2022 our team organized more than 525 meetings with congressional offices to ask for critical support for Ukraine, co-founded the American Coalition for Ukraine (ACU) uniting 57 diverse organizations and constituents from all 50 states, and held an inaugural Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C. a fly-in event with over 250 constituents from all over the country participating.
In the first quarter of 2023, Razom Advocacy co-organized a second Ukraine Action Summit that expanded to over 300 advocates from 34 states, and brought together 62 organizations representing the ACU. It was three days in Washington D.C. full of congressional meetings, advocacy training, panel discussions, and networking, and it was focused on a singular message – Ukraine must win. All told, the advocates met with one-third of the offices in Congress. You can read more about it on our website.
Beyond the Summit, our team has testified before Congress, led hundreds of government briefings and meetings, drafted dozens of policy briefs, proposed legislation, and amplified countless Ukrainian voices to protect bipartisan support for Ukraine and advance pro-Ukraine policy that is aligned to U.S. national interests. Don’t forget to join our advocates network to get the latest news from Razom Advocacy.
When a defender in a remote field needs a tourniquet, Razom Heroes is there. In 2022, the team deployed in-house order tracking software and a Ukraine-wide delivery system where Razom drivers take aid directly to the hot zones, delivered over 500 tons of life-saving supplies (including purchasing nearly 400,000 tourniquets), and packed and delivered almost 90,000 Individual First Aid Kits and over 2,000 tactical medical backpacks. We’ve also delivered over 2,000 quadcopters for safe passage and evacuation, and sourced and serviced 69 cars for frontline medics to use as first line evacuation. We have also supplied over 14,000 radios and over 2,000 tablets to keep Ukrainians connected on the front lines. In 2023, as the war continues, so does the procurement and delivery of this type of life saving aid.
Between March 17-May 7 of 2023, Razom Health successfully co-organized and coordinated four medical mission trips to Ukraine. You can read about each specific group of doctors and nurses that traveled here, and click above to watch a deep dive into what it takes to bring a trip like this to life and its impact. This specific team of American-Canadian volunteers, 8 doctors, and 4 nurses arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk in March to perform 35 complex surgeries for the Ukrainian military and civilians all while providing training for Ukrainian doctors to ensure the impact of their work gets multiplied long after they leave. Given the demanding hours and complexity of the surgeries, Razom’s team organized the many logistical elements essential to the smooth running of these missions, including covering travel, accommodations, daily logistics, and purchasing necessary equipment. There’s some great reporting that’s been done covering these trips including interviews from the doctors who traveled to Ukraine and the Ukrainian lives that have been changed by their work.
When war-torn hospitals need ultrasounds and wound vacs, Razom Health is there. In 2022, we supplied 419 medical facilities in Ukraine with aid like ultrasounds, wound vacs, electrosurgery machines, orthopedic fixators and more, delivered 23 hospital-grade generators so doctors could continue delivering critical care even when the lights were out, and launched 2 mental health centers in Ukraine with over 800 individuals served (65% using mental health services for the first time).
When families are displaced, hungry, sick, or in danger, Razom Relief is there. In 2022, the team awarded $5M in grants to a network of 123 volunteer organizations in Ukraine that help their local communities. Collectively, these organizations distributed 221,458 food packages to people in need, evacuated 9,640 people, renovated 91 buildings including 11 shelters, and supported 18 shelters that provided 2,375 sleeping places. Over the winter the team procured and delivered 90 generators and 50 charging stations to resilience points, shelters, and humanitarian hubs across Ukraine.
When the world needs to hear voices from Ukraine, Razom Culture and Connections is there. In 2022, our team organized the concert to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Shchedryk’s (Carol of the Bells) premiere at Carnegie Hall with Ukrainian and Ukrainian-American artists and celebrity guests, funded filmmakers from Ukraine to attend international film festivals (including Sundance and the Academy Awards) so people could hear directly from creators and make connections, and supported multiple cultural exchanges, book clubs, and concerts.
We couldn’t have done all this without your support and generosity! With your donations we can scale and continue to support Ukraine now and in the years ahead.
In the meantime, we hope to run into you at any number of these incredible events in New York and across the country that are really worth your time!
This weekend come see “Undesirable Elements: Ukraine” a collaboration of Ping Chong and Company and Yara Arts Group at the Ukrainian Museum on E 6th St in NYC. The production explores the experiences of Ukrainian-American New Yorkers and recent arrivals from Ukraine. In director Ping Chong’s “Undesirable Elements” series, real people tell about their own lives. Since 1992, over 65 “Undesirable Elements” productions have been made in communities across the country and around the world. You can get your tickets here & at the door.
Razom is honored to host an event at the Ukrainian Institute of America in NYC this weekend that’ll feature Ukrainian voices at this year’s Pen World Voices Festival. This evening will be mostly in Ukrainian and registration is required.
Come catch a performance from Trevor Noah: Off the Record Tour and fundraise for Ukraine! Led by a diverse group of Benefit Committee Members, it’s sure to be a really special evening.
Just look out for the yellow couch and you’ll find us!
This year at Razom Lounge at the festival, we’ll be hosting special guests, showcasing the work we’ve done over the last year, raising money for bigger projects to help Ukraine, and revealing some fun surprises throughout the day.
The Razom Ukrainian Response Initiative will also be part of the Razom Lounge, giving recently arrived displaced Ukrainians an opportunity to discover the Ukrainian Festival for themselves, meet the community here to support them, and share their stories.
P.S. Interested in volunteering at the Razom Lounge? Send us a message.
Razom is a Presenting Partner with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, which will feature a Ukrainian documentary WHEN SPRING CAME TO BUCHA. It poignantly captures how a small community continues with life amid trauma and loss while war rages on close by.
Join audiences for its US premiere at the #HRWFFNY taking place on 6/6 at Film at Lincoln Center and the second screening on 6/7 at the IFC Center. A live Q&A with filmmakers and special guests will follow the screenings.
You can also stream the film across the US as part of the digital festival between June 5-11.
Ukrainian singer/songwriter and winner of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, Jamala is going on her first major USA and Canada tour!
The show includes music from different periods that will be performed through a special electronic interpretation. The tour name, “Like A Bird,” is a reference to the track of the same name from the “All Or Nothing” (2013) album.
Get your tickets here and join Razom at the New York City show on June 2 at Racket NYC. She’ll be in Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Orlando too!
The teams at the Emergency Service of Ukraine (ДСНС України) can now do their life-saving work equipped with high-quality, warm LL Bean jackets thanks to a generous donation facilitated by Senator Angus S. King, Jr. of Maine and Razom for Ukraine.
Over 150 winter and all-weather jackets were hand-delivered by the Executive Director of Razom in Ukraine, Evelina Kurilets. Eva handed over all the jackets to Ukraine’s Head of the State Emergency Service, Serhiy Kruk. Mr. Kruk assured that the jackets would be immediately distributed to different regions of Ukraine with the priority of securing the jackets for Emergency Service workers involved in the demining of territories, dismantling of debris after rocket attacks, and extinguishing fires.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine is one of the most extensive services in Ukraine regarding the number of employees. Its specialists perform a colossal volume of work, which has only increased since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The Service and its heroic employees work in any extreme weather conditions. Among numerous critical tasks performed daily, the Service teams extinguish fires, clear debris after shelling of civilian infrastructure, demine territories, conduct rescue operations, and combat natural disasters.
Ukraine is currently the most mined country on the planet; about 40% of the territory is mined and poses a life-threatening danger to civilians first and foremost, so the State Emergency Service of Ukraine constantly needs unique clothing for people who are involved in the process of clearing the territories from mines.
The leadership and staff of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine expressed their sincere gratitude to Senator Angus S. King, Jr. and L.L.Bean for such critical assistance and to the Razom team for delivering this much-needed aid.
Learn more about the ways Razom helps the first responders in Ukraine within our project Razom Heroes.
Razom Ticket is happy to share wonderful news – the team from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, who we supported through the 27th Stetson Environmental of the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition, has placed *second* and will be heading to the final round in Geneva in June!
The international competition took place in early April in Salzburg, Austria bringing together students from all over the world to practice World Trade Organization law in front of a panel of experts. The goal is to deepen knowledge of international trade law, WTO dispute settlement procedures, and enhance capacity for meaningful participation in multilateral trade. Participants have the opportunity to establish contacts with people from all over the world, meet top trade law experts & WTO professionals, and gain professional experience.
One of the team members, Solomiia, shares:
“The progress we made together with my teammates during these few days gives us an impetus to move further towards a great result at the final round of the competition in Geneva in June. Without my dear teammates and our wonderful coach, the journey through WTO law in general and the oral rounds in Salzburg would not have been so fruitful and insightful. We’d like to thank the people who made our participation possible- Razom, who provided full financial support for our team every step of the way in Salzburg.
Anna adds: “To be honest, this week in Salzburg is one of the best experiences in my life. I could not overestimate the value of networking with truly gifted students, their coaches, and of course, panelists – the best professionals of the trade law. Of course, the greatest pleasure was to finally meet the whole team in person.
Nowadays, such occasions are rare and thus so valuable. Last but not least, I received one more boost to explore international trade law. At the moment, I cannot wait to start preparing for the Geneva rounds!”
Another part of the competition was held from April 13-15, 2023, at Stetson Law in Gulfport, Florida, where 23 teams from 14 countries participated, showcasing their expertise in international laws concerning the environment. The Ukrainian team played in four preliminary rounds with teams such as the Philippines, Ireland, Brazil and India.
One of the participants, Olha Holovko, ranked among the top 8 speakers and received 4th place Oralist Awards for the Preliminary Rounds.
Kateryna Skichko, who was part of the training team, presented research on the war’s influence on world ecology, including a proposal to criminalize ecocide on an international level.
The Stetson Moot, organized by the Institute of Biodiversity Law and Policy at Stetson University, is the world’s leading competition on global environmental law issues such as conservation and sustainability.
As it is essentially an international law moot, it simulates proceedings before the International Court of Justice. Judges of the competition are usually environmental law academics and experts.
Learn more about Razom Ticket project and support young brilliant minds of Ukraine today.
Razom Co-Pilot Project’s mission is to address the significant deficit in high-quality neurosurgical, spine, reconstructive, and plastic surgery training in Ukraine by sending skilled surgeons from across the US and Canada to mentor and aid Ukrainian surgeons through difficult cases.
The medical trips include two completed missions and two future missions in spring 2023:
LEAP Global Missions March 17-26, Lviv, Ukraine: In the first formal LEAP mission of its kind and in partnership with the Ukrainian Christian Medical Association, two skilled doctors led a team of 11 medical professionals to assist with war-related and non war-related surgeries at First Emergency, St. Nicholas, Ohkhmatdyt and the Military Hospital of the Western Region. Their specializations include craniofacial, craniofacial orthodontics, head and neck trauma, head and neck reconstruction, neurosurgery, urology, and dermatology. The team worked across 3 different hospitals, where patients with war injuries were transferred from a neighboring community so the team could help as many as possible. Razom is proud to have contributed to this mission by covering housing, food and medical supply expenses, scrubs through FIGS, and transportation for the doctors who invested their time and knowledge in treating children in Lviv affected by the war.
Face the Future, March 24 – April 2, 2023, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine: Razom, Face the Future Foundation (Canada), and the Ukrainian Association of Endoscopic Head and Neck Surgery brought together a team of 13 American and Canadian doctors and nurses, who joined 17 Ukrainian team members to treat victims of war. Supported by Healing the Children Northeast, they met weekly for three months to pre-plan surgical treatments for each patient. These meetings also included Ukrainian specialists from Materialise, who created customized 3D-printed implants for patients. 100 soldiers and civilians with war injuries were assessed, with 30 selected for reconstructive facial surgery, and a total of 112 procedures were performed. Face the Future also held an International Symposium on War Injuries attended by 130 Ukrainian surgeons, a Nursing Academic Day for 70 nurses, and live-streamed surgeries for 590 Ukrainian doctors. Currently, Still Strong, a Ukrainian surgeon-run patient management database working with the mission, has accepted 347 patients requiring complex reconstruction to regain facial functions, improve patients’ appearance and decrease their PTSD. Future missions this year and next are currently being planned to address these tragedies of war and build Ukrainian health care capacity for complex facial reconstruction.
FACE TO FACE, April 21-30, Lviv, Ukraine: FACE TO FACE is the humanitarian arm of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). This project was created in cooperation with AAFPRS, Razom, the medical NGO INgenius, and Healing the Children Northeast to help wounded victims of the war in Ukraine. A team of 9 facial plastic surgeons and 8 nurses will perform reconstructive and plastic surgeries of the head and neck area at the Lviv Military Hospital in Ukraine, the largest medical military center in the western part of Ukraine, which admits a record number of wounded soldiers daily. The doctors will perform 30 surgeries with high levels of complexity, as the majority of the patients have severe facial defects that require sophisticated surgeries, including microvascular reconstruction. One of the planned surgeries is considered to be one of the most unique facial microvascular reconstruction cases, using bones from the legs and arms, which takes about 15 hours. This kind of surgery helps not only to restore the face, but also restore the ability to eat and speak. As part of the mission, the complex reconstructions of the facial skeleton will be carried out using personalized printed titanium 3D implants from Materialise. This type of surgery is not part of the typical Ukrainian surgical training, leaving the majority of patients without appropriate treatment. As such, this mission will encompass an educational component. The team will perform complex microvascular reconstructive surgeries that help patients, while also training local surgeons so they can perform similar surgeries in the future by broadcasting the surgeries live. Around 200 Ukrainian doctors, including otolaryngologists, maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, plastic and general surgeons, have already registered for the broadcast, where US and Ukrainian specialists will walk through every step of the surgery. The FACE TO FACE team will also be awarded by Lviv Regional State Administration for their work. The first FACE TO FACE mission of plastic and reconstructive surgeons took place on September 16-22. During the mission, 34 consultations and 31 operative interventions were conducted at the base of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Clinical Hospital. For more information: https://www.razomforukraine.org/razom-face-to-face/
Neurosurgeons for Ukraine, April 27 – May 7, Lviv Ukraine: A group of neurosurgeons, their assistants and medical students will travel from the US to Lviv, Ukraine to assist in and train Ukrainian surgeons in performing complex cranial surgeries. This interdisciplinary team will consist of a pediatric neurosurgeon, a neurointerventional radiologist, a skull-base neurosurgeon, and a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon with expertise in neurotrauma and neurocritical care. The group will also bring valuable neurosurgical equipment to expand the neurosurgical operative capabilities in Ukraine. The team will collaborate with their Ukrainian colleagues to operate on a diverse mix of patients, including adults and children, as well as those with a variety of complex tumors and cerebrovascular malformations. Patients will be evaluated in a clinic and operated on at the Lviv Territorial Medical Union Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital of Emergency and Intensive Care. In addition to the valuable time spent teaching complex operative techniques to Ukrainian surgeons in the operating room, the US-based team will host a number of conferences and didactic sessions aimed at educating surgeons and surgical trainees in Ukraine.
“Razom is grateful to the doctors, our partners, including hospitals in Ukraine, and everyone who has made these trips possible,” said Mariya Soroka, Razom Co-Founder and Co-Pilot Project Co-Lead. “The importance of medical trips to Ukraine is critical to boosting the Ukrainian health care system, implementing new medical technologies, educating doctors, and of course saving thousands of lives and improving the quality of life for countless others.”
Razom for Ukraine has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Bob Freeman Humanitarian Award. Named for one of MedShare’s founders, the honor is awarded each year by MedShare International, a global humanitarian aid organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people, communities and the planet by reallocating surplus medical supplies and biomedical equipment.
Since russia’s invasion of Ukraine, RazomHealth, in partnership with MedShare, has sent 8 large shipments of critical medical supplies to Ukraine, with each shipment ranging from 5-25 pallets including items such as surgical external and internal fixators, orthopedic surgical implants and screws, hygiene kits, neurosurgical OR tablets, and other needed supplies. Thanks to MedShare’s vast network of medical supply partners, Razom was able to distribute the much-needed donations of quality supplies to hospitals in most need across Ukraine via our partners, including Zdorovi and Rescue Now.
“MedShare has stood by Razom’s side and supported Ukraine from the early first weeks of war – from coordinating shipment logistics door-to-door, guiding our procurement process, and being responsive to our needs on the ground – and we are proud that they are still supporting us,” said Dora Chomiak, Razom CEO. “They are an incredible, dedicated, empathetic and reliable humanitarian Non-Government Organization (NGO) that focuses its work on providing humanitarian and medical relief to disaster-war-torn zones and filling the supply chain with quality medical supplies. We are grateful to have built a trusted partnership and look forward to continuing life-saving work together.”
“MedShare is proud to recognize the herculean efforts of Razom for Ukraine as we work together to deliver medical aid to Ukraine and to Ukrainian refugees,” said Charles W. Redding, CEO & President of MedShare. “We pledge to continue to work hand-in-hand with Razom and our other humanitarian partners to provide health and hope to the millions of men, women and children impacted by the ravages of war, and the selfless doctors, nurses, support personnel and volunteers committed to serving them and their families.”
Learn more about Razom Health. Support Ukraine and Ukrainian healthcare system by donating today.
Thank you so much for your support and willingness to help Ukraine in such difficult times. So many of you are taking on efforts to support Razom and Ukraine that we are overwhelmed with requests, questions, and proposals. Our team is working tirelessly to scale our efforts to provide what is needed in Ukraine, which can change day by day. Before reaching out to info@razomforukraine.org, review our Frequently Asked Questions below.
We can do this. Together!
Whom can I talk to about corporate funds and/or donation matching?
To discuss donation matching and/or large corporate, organization and funds grants & donations, please send your inquiries to donations@razomforukraine.org. There are hundreds of companies running matching programs with Razom today. You can find ways to donate to Razom, including all banking information and Razom EIN, on our Donate page.
What to do if I want to change my recurring donations?
We’re sorry to hear you haven’t received a receipt for your generous donation to Razom! There are a few ways to troubleshoot this. First, check your inbox and spam folder for an email from donations@razomforukraine.org If you don’t find your receipt after searching for the Donations email address, this may mean that we do not have your email address or mailing address due to the form of payment or platform you used to make the donation. Typically, if you make a donation to Razom via Facebook/Meta, you will receive your donation receipt from Facebook/Meta. Similarly, if you made a donation to Razom through corporate matching or your employer, please ask your employer or company for a receipt. If all else fails or if you still have questions, please contact donations@razomforukraine.org and include your name, amount of donation, and the donation method used. Please wait up to a month for donation processing, especially if you sent us a check in the mail. Thank you!
Can I donate my time and volunteer with Razom?
Thank you for your desire to become a Razom volunteer. Volunteers are fundamental to Razom’s success and ability to make an impact for Ukraine. If you would like to become a volunteer, please fill out this form. Right now, we can’t promise to get back in touch with you immediately, but will email you as soon as we get a new volunteer request from our teams. That said, you don’t have to wait for us to reach out to be able to support and make an impact for Ukraine:
Participate in informational efforts by advocating for Ukraine on your social media. Follow our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter accounts for the latest action items and subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news on how you can advocate for Ukraine in your community and beyond.
Bookmark the Razom HeyLink page for a one-stop-shop of all kinds of links and resources to help Ukraine – and share it with your friends!
Run a fundraiser on behalf of Razom or other organizations doing great work and feel free to get as creative as you can. We’ve had people start personal fundraisers for Razom on social media, host benefit concerts, poetry readings, dinners, make tattoos, produce art, and so many creative ways that get people in their communities involved in helping Ukraine. If you’d like to start a GoFundMe campaign, you can choose Razom as the recipient at their platform here. Email your questions about personal and small fundraisers for Razom to donations@razomforukraine.org.
Can Razom help me volunteer in Ukraine?
Razom is not recruiting volunteers in Ukraine at this time. If you’re intent on going to Ukraine and volunteering, you may find the following resources helpful:
If you’re interested in volunteering for Razom, either remotely or in-person in the New York area, please fill out the Razom Volunteer Form.
If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident, one of the most powerful ways you can support Ukraine is by becoming an advocate for Ukraine. Join the Razom Advocacy Network here and you’ll be sent alerts on the next important opportunity to contact your Representatives in Congress about legislation in support of Ukraine.
Please keep in mind that your donations to Razom go a long way in helping Ukraine as well. Consider making a donation to Razom or organizing a fundraiser in your community.
Thank you for your support and willingness to help!
How can I see an overview of Razom work in 2022? How can I catch up on reading the email newsletters from Razom?
Information on planned rallies around the world can be found here. The list is crowdsourced – you can add information about a rally in your city or town to the list by completing a form on their website. If you don’t see any rallies nearby – consider organizing one, reach out to your local Ukrainian community, start a group on Facebook. Be proactive! Be creative!
Razom regularly promotes rallies in the New York City area as well as rallies meant to bring people from all over the US together in Washington D.C. Just follow us on social media, especially the Razom Instagram, or subscribe to our newsletter to get alerts.
How does Razom spend its donation money?
Following russia’s full scale attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Razom quickly mobilized an emergency response to save lives. Our priority is to provide critical humanitarian war relief and recovery depending on the most urgent needs as they evolve. Right now this means delivering humanitarian aid in the form of tactical medicine, hospital supplies, and communication equipment, supporting the Ukrainian healthcare system by providing critical medical aid to hospitals and doctors, supporting on-the-ground efforts by distributing grants to hyper-local NGOs, and advocating for Ukraine. Razom maintains an admin rate of no more than 15% (historically averaged below 10%). Learn about the latest Updates on our project impact by checking out the July 2022 Razom Impact Report and stay tuned for an updated 2022 Razom Impact Report, which will be out very soon!
Are you a legit non-profit organization?
We are a US-based, registered 501c3 non-profit, started as a volunteer-driven organization founded after Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2014. You can learn more about Razom on various pages of this website:checkout ourAnnual Reportsfrom the past eight years, ourBoard of Directors and Leadership Team, our projects and partnerships. Following russia’s attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Razom quickly mobilized its emergency response project to save lives. You can find regular updates on our Updates page.
How can a hospital in Ukraine receive aid from Razom?
Thanks to the incredible work of the Razom Health team, Razom provides aid to hospitals and nurses in the form of medical and hospital supplies and tools, which vary depending on the in-kind donations we receive and the procurement process. If you would like to request aid for a hospital or a medical institution, please visit this page.
How can someone on the frontlines (first responders and defenders) request aid from Razom? To request humanitarian aid for a Ukrainian military or first responder unit, please visit this page.
Do you help refugees?
We are aware of the large number of Ukrainians who fled or lost their homes as a result of the war. Razom is responding to this in a few ways:
Razom received a grant from the Mayor’s Office of New York City to support the Razom Ukrainian Response Initiative (URI), a program started by Razom volunteers to support newly-arrived Ukrainians in NYC via legal clinics, clothing drives, school supply distributions, and other efforts. Learn more about the Ukrainian Response Initiative. The URI team has a document of helpful public immigration information and updates here.
If you personally, or your organization, is willing to help displaced Ukrainians in a meaningful way, please fill out this form.
If you’re a Ukrainian migrant that needs help, fill out this form.
URI has an office at the address 98 2nd Avenue in New York City, but please email URI@RazomForUkraine.org first to check if the team can help answer your questions via email.
There are many other organizations, large and small, working in this area. Among them we recommend referencing the following resources:
If you haven’t found an answer to your question on this page, please write to info@razomforukraine.org. Please allow us 48 hours to respond. Our resources are limited, but we are doing our best to follow up as fast as we can. Thank you for understanding!
ПОШИРЕНІ ЗАПИТАННЯ
Дякуємо за підтримку та готовність допомогти Україні в такі важкі часи. Через таку велику зацікавленість підтримати Разом та Україну, ми щодня отримуємо велику кількість прохань, запитань, та пропозицій різного роду. Наша команда невпинно працює над збільшенням масштабу наших зусиль, щоб забезпечити те, що потрібно Україні, і ці потреби та виклики змінюються також щодня. Перш ніж звертатися до нас за адресою info@razomforukraine.org, перегляньте поширені запитання нижче.
Разом до перемоги!
З ким я можу поговорити про корпоративні пожертви та/або мечінг кампанії?
Щоб обговорити мечінг кампанії та/або великі корпоративні, організаційні та фондові пожертви та кампанії, будь ласка, напишіть на пошту donations@razomforukraine.org. Сьогодні існують сотні компаній, які використовують відповідні кампанії з Разом. Ви можете знайти всі способи фінансової підтримки Разом, включно із всією банківською інформацією та EIN номером Разом, на нашій сторінці для донатів.
Чому я не отримав(ла) квитанцію для своєї пожертви?
Дякуємо за вашу щедру пожертву Разом! Є кілька способів знайти квитанцію про вашу пожертву.
Якщо ви не знайшли свою квитанцію після пошуку, це може означати, що ми не маємо вашої адреси електронної пошти чи поштової адреси.
Як правило, якщо ви робите пожертву Razom через Facebook/Meta, ви отримаєте квитанцію про пожертву від Facebook/Meta. Подібним чином, якщо ви зробили пожертву Razom за допомогою корпоративного збору коштів або свого роботодавця, попросіть у свого роботодавця чи компанії про квитанцію.
Якщо ви досі не можете отримати квитанцію, або у вас все ще є запитання, будь ласка, напишіть на donations@razomforukraine.org і вкажіть своє ім’я, суму пожертви та використаний метод пожертви.
Будь ласка, зачекайте до місяця для обробки пожертви, особливо якщо ви надіслали нам чек поштою.
Чи можу я пожертвувати свій час і стати волонтером у Razom?
Дякуємо за бажання стати волонтером Разом! Волонтери є основою успіху Разом.
Якщо ви хочете стати волонтером, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму. Наразі ми не можемо обіцяти, що зв’яжемося з вами відразу, але ми надішлемо вам лист, як тільки отримаємо новий запит для волонтерів від наших команд. Більш того, вам не потрібно чекати, поки ми звяжемось з вами, щоб мати змогу підтримати Україну:
Долучайтеся до інформаційної підтримки України у своїх соціальних мережах. Слідкуйте за нашими сторінками у Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, щоб дізнаватися про останні дії та підпишіться на нашу розсилку, щоб отримувати останні новини про те, як ви можете відстоювати інтереси України у своїй громаді та у світі.
Слідкуйте за майбутніми подіями на сторінці Razom Events
Збережіть сторінку Разом в HeyLink, щоб мати доступ до ресурсів для допомоги України, і поділіться нею з друзями!
Проведіть збір коштів для Разом або інших організацій, які ви підтримуєте. Можна відкрити особистий збір коштів для Разом у соціальних мережах, організовувати благодійні концерти, поетичні читання, вечері, робити благодійні татуювання, творити мистецтво та багато іншого щоб залучити людей до допомоги Україні. Якщо ви хочете почати кампанію GoFundMe, ви можете вибрати Разом як одержувача на цій платформі тут. Надсилайте свої запитання щодо організації збору коштів для Разом на donations@razomforukraine.org.
Я хочу волонтерити в Україні. Чи може Разом мені допомогти з цим?
Разом наразі не приймає волонтерів в Україні. Якщо ви маєте намір поїхати в Україну та бути волонтером, вам можуть бути корисні наступні ресурси:
Якщо ви зацікавлені у волонтерстві для Razom, дистанційно або в районі Нью-Йорка, заповніть цю форму.
Якщо ви є громадянином або постійним жителем США, один із найпотужніших способів підтримати Україну – це стати адвокатом України. Приєднайтеся до адвокаційний мережі Разом тут, і вам буде надіслано сповіщення про наступну можливість зв’язатися зі своїми представниками в Конгресі щодо підтримки України.
Майте на увазі, що ваші пожертви на Разом також суттєво допомагають Україні. Ви можете зробити пожертву Разом тут або організувати збір коштів у своїй громаді.
Дякуємо за вашу підтримку та бажання допомогти!
Де я можу переглянути всю роботу Razom у 2022 році? Де я можу прочитати всі розсилки Разом?
Перегляньте наші інформаційні бюлетені тут і підпишіться на розсилку тут, щоб отримувати найсвіжіші новини Разом прямо в свою електронну пошту. Натисніть тут, щоб знайти звіт Разом від липня 2022 р., і слідкуйте за новинами про звіт Разом за 2022 р., над яким ми зараз працюємо і який буде опубліковано дуже скоро!
Коли і де наступний протест?
Інформацію про заплановані акції по всьому світу можна знайти тут. Ви можете додати інформацію про акцію у вашому місті до списку, заповнивши форму на сайті. Якщо ви не бачите жодних мітингів у вашому місті – організуйте! Зв’яжіться з місцевою українською громадою, створіть групу у Facebook. Будьте ініціативними! Будьте креативними!
Разом регулярно рекламує мітинги в Нью-Йорку, а також мітинги, які збирають людей з усіх куточків США у Вашингтоні, столиці США. Слідкуйте за нами в соціальних мережах, особливо Instagram, або підпишіться на нашу розсилку, щоб отримувати інформацію вчасно.
Як Razom витрачає зібрані кошти?
Після повномасштабного вторгнення росії в Україну 24 лютого 2022 року Разом швидко мобілізувало проект Emergency Response, для порятунку життів в Україні якомога швидше. Нашим пріоритетом є надання найнеобхіднішої гуманітарної допомоги. Наразі це – тактична медицина, медичне обладнання та комунікаційне обладнання, підтримка української системи охорони здоров’я шляхом надання критично важливої медичної допомоги лікарням і лікарям, підтримка громадянського суспільства шляхом розподілу грантів НУО, та адвокація подальшої підтримки України у Конгресі США. Разом відкладає не більше 15% (історично в середньому нижче 10%) коштів на адміністративні витрати. Дізнайтеся більше про роботу Разом, переглянувши звіт, що вийшов у липні 2022 року, і слідкуйте за новинами Разом щоб дізнатися про роботу Разом у повному звіті за 2022 рік, який буде опубліковано дуже скоро!
Чи ви легітимна/законна неприбуткова організація?
Разом – неприбуткова організація у США з офіційною реєстрацію 501c3, заснована волонтерами після Революції Гідності в Україні в 2014 році. Ви можете дізнатися більше про Razom на різних сторінках цього веб-сайту: перегляньте наші річні звіти за останні вісім років, нашу раду директорів і керівництво, наші проекти та партнерства. Після початку повномасштабного вторгнення 24 лютого 2022 року Разом швидко мобілізувало проект Emergency Response, щоб врятувати якомога більше життів в Україні. Ви можете знайти регулярні новини про нашу роботу на сторінці Updates.
Як лікарня в Україні може отримати допомогу від Разом?
Завдяки неймовірній роботі команди Razom Health, Разом надає допомогу лікарням та лікарям у вигляді різного медичного та лікарняного обладнання та інструментів, наявність яких змінюється залежно від того, що ми отримуємо від донорів, і процесу закупівлі. Якщо ви бажаєте подати запит на допомогу для лікарні чи медичного закладу, зайдіть на цю сторінку.
Як хтось на передовій (служби першої допомоги та захисники України) може отримати допомогу від Разом?
Щоб подати запит на гуманітарну допомогу українським військовим або підрозділу, зайдіть на цю сторінку.
Чи ви допомагаєте біженцям?
Ми знаємо про велику кількість українців, які були вимушені покинути Україну або втратили свої домівки внаслідок війни. Разом допомагає таким людям кількома способами:
Разом отримало грант від мерії міста Нью-Йорка на підтримку ініціативи Разом Ukrainian Response Initiative (URI), програми, започаткованої волонтерами Разом для підтримки новоприбулих українців у Нью-Йорку через юридичні консультації, роздачу одягу та їжі, медичні послуги та інші види допомоги. Дізнайтеся більше про Українську ініціативу тут. Команда URI створила документ із корисною публічною імміграційною інформацією та оновленнями тут.
Якщо ви особисто чи ваша організація бажаєте суттєво допомогти новоприбулим українцям, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму.
Якщо ви новоприбулий українець чи українка, якому потрібна допомога, будь ласка, заповніть цю форму.
URI має офіс за адресою 98 2nd Avenue у Нью-Йорку, але, будь ласка, спершу надішліть лист на URI@RazomForUkraine.org, щоб записатися на прийом.
Є багато інших організацій, великих і малих, які працюють у цій сфері також. Серед них рекомендуємо звернутися до наступних:
Національний банк України відкрив спеціальний рахунок для збору коштів на потреби Збройних Сил України
Якщо ви не знайшли відповідь на своє запитання на цій сторінці, будь ласка, напишіть нам на пошту info@razomforukraine.org. Дайте нам, будь ласка, 48 годин на відповідь. Наші ресурси обмежені, але ми робимо все можливе, щоб якнайшвидше відповісти та допомогти вам. Дякуємо за розуміння!
Our regularly scheduled updates on major programs below, but also a spotlight on Advocacy and the amazing cultural events happening this season.
Dear Razom community,
In each newsletter, we try to share with you how your support impacts our programs for first responders and defenders on the frontline, the strained healthcare system, and the work of NGOs across Ukraine. You’ll still see those updates below, but a year into the war, we see how it has become even more important for Razom to advocate for Ukraine on multiple fronts, whether at the Oscars, Congress, or your inbox.
Razom sponsored the travel and stay in LA over the past week of four Ukrainian team members from the Danish-Ukrainian co-production A House Made of Splinters, a documentary film nominated for this year’s Oscars. Shot in 2019-2020, the film follows the life inside a halfway home for children whose parents aren’t capable of taking care of them near the frontlines in Lysychansk, Ukraine (a town currently under russian occupation, after which the shelter was damaged by a missile strike). As some parents succumb to the consequences of life in a region devastated by yearslong war, you get a rare and deeply touching glimpse at their children, who become larger than life heroes in a fight for their own happiness, childhood, and right to feel a family’s love. It’s the children’s hope and wisdom that captured us, so when we had the opportunity to support Azad Safarov (Assistant Director and Line Producer), Olena Rozavodovska (Project Coordinator and Co-Founder along with Azad of Voices of Children), and the incredible caretakers in the film Marharyta Mykolaivna and Olga Viktorivna on their working trip to the US, we signed on.
Not only did they represent Ukraine at the Oscars, but they spent every day giving interviews to national and international media raising awareness about russia’s crimes against Ukrainian children and their families during this war — those killed, abducted, and countless of their families, homes, and schools destroyed. You can learn more about the planned policy of deportation of Ukrainian children, a direct violation of the Genocide Convention, here, via a Twitter Space hosted by Razom Advocacy. You can watch A House Made of Splinters on Apple TV+ or Amazon Prime, you will not regret it.
Our team at Razom Advocacy continues its hard work advocating for Ukraine by holding high level meetings with government officials, conducting diverse research projects to support policy advancement, and doing outreach on social and traditional media to elevate Ukrainian experts and voices. So far this year, we’ve had over 20 face to face meetings across the legislative and executive branches, and we’re just getting started.
The Advocacy team invites you to join all of us at Razom at the Ukraine Action Summit on April 23-25, 2023 to advocate in person in Washington D.C. It’s the American Coalition for Ukraine’s 2nd Ukraine Action Summit consisting of advocacy workshops and trainings alongside Congressional meetings on Capitol Hill, where you’ll speak directly to lawmakers about Ukraine. Learn more and register here. During last year’s summit, participants joined 150 meetings with representatives from 30 states and 110 Congressional districts – help us surpass that record this year!
Here’s a bit more about what Advocacy is doing to bring Ukraine closer to victory – and how you can help.
Contact your representative! Constituent voices are an integral part of how lawmakers decide what bills to support – and Ukraine needs you. Our current campaign is pushing for the passage of the HARM Act: learn more. Plus, check out the Renew Democracy Initiative’s Hold russia Accountable campaign.
Follow us on Twitter and join us weekly on Fridays at 1pm EST for Twitter Spaces about Ukraine. This week’s topic: nine years since russia’s annexation of Crimea.
You can always learn more about the situation in Ukraine through our research reports on our website. Currently you’ll find info on ecocide, food security, & the Wagner Group during this war, and can read our latest op-ed: “Don’t Believe the Hype – Bipartisan Support for Ukraine Remains Strong in Congress”
Everyday Razom is grateful for the incredible community of donors that have come together consistently (and creatively!) to fundraise in support of Ukraine. We are proud to work with teams across the world to bring a diversity of programs and projects for you to connect with that have a direct impact on the lives of Ukrainians fighting a war on multiple fronts, the outcome of which will shape the century to come for all of us.
So when a generous donor from the states requested that their gift be used specifically to impact Ukrainian Defenders, our team put that money towards procuring and delivering 41 Motorola radios, 1 mobile shower/laundry, and 5 pickup trucks into the hands of battalions near the front line. The specialized mobile baths are a recent innovation manufactured right in Ukraine, supporting the local economy, while the cars were prepped by our team (including painting the initials of the donor’s father on every pickup) for medical evacuations. Check out the photos below of the soldiers taking the time to offer proper thanks by sending a gift of their own from Ukraine to the US.
Our team at Razom Health continues to be busy connecting the resources of our generous partners and in-kind donors to healthcare institutions with the greatest need across Ukraine, as well as gearing up for its next medical missions. Here’s the latest:
Some folks from Hearthstone Care based out of the Catskills in New York collected and helped transport a 53 foot-long container of medical beds and other durable medical equipment that we’ll ship and distribute to medical facilities across Ukraine.
As missile strikes continue to terrorize Ukrainian civilians across the country (just last week 81 were launched into every region of Ukraine), providing vital medications and medical supplies continues to be a need that Razom is able to address. Last week, another in-kind donation from our partners CMMB got distributed in Ukraine.
Photos of medical professionals wearing their brand new FIGS keep coming our way, this time from Ivano-Frankivsk, Sumy, and Odesa. FIGS deserves another special shoutout as they’ve been, and are committed to continuing, taking part in our medical missions like the upcoming Leap Global Missions, Face the Future, Face to Face, and Neurosurgeon medical trips throughout March, April, and May by providing the necessary medical scrubs for all of the American and Ukrainian surgeons and nurses taking part.
Partnering with four different US Medical Doctors Associations, Razom has organized four medical missions (so far!) for this spring as part of our Co-Pilot Project that aims to raise the level of medical and surgical care in Ukraine through trips by American physicians to exchange their expertise, and the provision of critical equipment aimed at building programs. You can learn about our most recent medical mission trip with AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) in the “Face to Face” that offers Ukrainians, military and civilians alike, extremely complex reconstructive surgeries and a chance to have a normal life. Consider donating to support more of this work with Razom here.
Our team at Razom Relief continues to find, vet, and accelerate the impact of Ukrainian NGOs and grassroots aid initiatives across much of Ukraine whose ability to quickly step in to provide critical humanitarian support is unparalleled. Below a round-up of some recent initiatives:
Kyiv-based volunteer group Yangoly UA organized a movement called “Brave to Rebuild” and is leveraging support from Razom, Epicenter K, World Central Kitchen, and other local Ukrainian businesses & organizations to restore several damaged buildings at once. Led by a group of students in Kyiv after the de-occupation of nearby suburbs, they’ve organized over 1,500 volunteers (taking time between classes or on the weekends) in the past year to help clear debris and patch up buildings impacted by russia’s terrorist missile campaign. Sometimes they’ll collaborate with BUR (Building Ukraine Together), a Razom Partner since 2016 that runs youth camps that rebuild and repair homes for displaced Ukrainians.
In Summer 2022, VAAD Ukraine (the Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine), started a psychological recovery program for women and children called “Renewal During the War.” Razom supported the 31st and 32nd camps (run in 2023) of the program, where in each, around 40 women and children got together for three weeks in safe corner of Ukraine to participate in individual and group therapy, art therapy and various creative classes.
A volunteer group called “Oops, Life In My City” successfully repaired and equipped a bomb shelter in a school in the city of Chernihiv thanks to Razom’s support. Border towns and cities in Ukraine are subjected to russian shelling almost daily, forcing those who refuse to leave behind their homes, to hide in bomb shelters. There are many such groups in Ukraine doing this work that Razom has been supporting for nearly a year now.
There are lots of excellent events happening across the US right now that bring special opportunities to connect with Ukrainian artists and culture and you can find our shortlist of them on our website. Below is a round up of a few we want to bring to your attention.
You do not want to miss this. Serhiy Zhadan, one of Ukraine’s most celebrated writers and a longstanding partner of Razom, is in the US on a big tour (he’s likely doing poetry readings in a city near you this week) is taking part in a special week of performances at La MaMa in NYC with Yara Arts Group. Get your tickets here.
Attention film lovers! Once you’re done streaming A House Made of Splinters, you’ve got at least 9 other films you can watch through Ukrainian eyes thanks to the Cleveland International Film Festival later this month. Here’s a list of the 8 features, 10 shorts, and 3 Razom supported projects we recommend: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpllL41vLmr/
You’ll definitely see us at the “Art in Time of War: Celebrating the Resilience of Ukrainian Culture” event at Low Library on March 27th. Hosted by The Harriman Institute & The President’s Office of Columbia University, you’ll get an opening address from Razom’s CEO Dora Chomiak, poetry, film, music, followed by a panel discussion and reception. Secure your tickets here.
We are so excited to be one of the sponsors of the “i am u are” Ukrainian Creators Fair in NYC March 24-26th! Come meet and support the modern creative industry of Ukraine — its culture, technology, art & design have always been here and are here to stay. Learn more and secure your tickets ASAP here.
As always, thank you for standing with Ukraine, for spreading the word about the amazing work featured all throughout this newsletter, and for joining us.
Razom and Nova Poshta signed a memorandum of cooperation, which provides for cooperation on psychological rehabilitation and career counseling of veterans, inclusivity programs for the company’s clients, provision of tactical first-aid kits to Nova Poshta employees working in front-line areas, and more.
“We are extremely grateful to Nova Poshta promptly responding to our invitation to cooperate. This is an excellent example of true corporate social responsibility and a powerful manifestation of the leadership’s civic stance, which the company has demonstrated more than once. Thanks to our cooperation, we will be able to help people suffering from the war even more effectively and increase the volume of humanitarian aid,” says Evelina Kurilets, Executive Director of Razom in Ukraine.
In addition, Nova Poshta became a partner in the Razom Toy Drive project. The company’s couriers will personally deliver birthday gifts to the children of fallen heroes.
“As part of the project, we will not deliver parcels, but dreams! For the recipients – the children of the Heroes – our couriers will turn into real magicians who will deliver a fulfilled wish from hand to hand. The plan is to send thousands of parcels, and therefore to receive thousands of happy children’s smiles!” says Olena Plakhova, Director of Reputation Management of Nova Poshta.
“Nova Poshta” is a Ukrainian international group of logistics companies, the leader of express delivery in terms of the volume of parcels delivered in Ukraine. The company provides businesses and individuals with a full range of logistics and related services. It was founded in 2001.
The “Humanitarian Post of Ukraine” program was created by Nova Poshta as a response to russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Since then, it has become a reliable logistical arm for the volunteer movement of Ukraine. Learn more about the program and how to use it at https://humanitarian.novaposhta.ua/
Razom for Ukraine is passionate about promoting Ukrainian culture, art and literature. We were thrilled to support the publication of Volodymyr Rafeyenko’s book “Mondegreen” through our Razom Translates program, which raised funds for the translation of the book on Kickstarter. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, the book was published in early 2022.
Mondegreen is a critically acclaimed book that has received praise both in Ukraine and internationally. The book explores the themes of identity, memory, and language and is an important contribution to Ukrainian literature. Through our efforts in translating the book, we are helping to make sure that Ukrainian voices can reach a wider audience.
But our work didn’t stop there. In November 2022, we organized a book tour for Rafeyenko in the United States. Razom covered the author’s travel expenses, arranged his accommodations, and worked with other Ukrainian organizations and universities to organize book readings and events. One of the most exciting aspects of the tour was the active involvement of our Razom Book Club members, who were eager to host Rafeyenko and help bring him to their communities. This grassroots effort is a testament to the passion and commitment of our members to appreciating and promoting Ukrainian literature.
These are just a few examples of the truly inspiring collaborations with organizations and universities to organize book readings and get-togethers. Ania Solovey worked with the local chapter of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and Emory University to put on an event in Atlanta. Irena Chalupa worked with UCCA, Ukraine House, and George Washington University to organize book readings in Washington D.C. And in Cleveland, Irina Bade, a member of Razom Book Club, organized a presentation at the Archive Museum. Maria Genkin moderated a session on the book during the 2022 ASEEES (Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies) Conference in Chicago in collaboration with Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed of Carlton University.
Overall, the book tour covered several cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, New Heaven, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. The book presentations also happened at Columbia’s Harriman Institute, Penn State, Harvard and UCSD. The events were a resounding success, with a large audience eager to hear the author speak about his book and his journey as a Ukrainian author. It was a great opportunity for the author to share his experiences and connect with his readers, sparking meaningful discussions and leaving a lasting impact on all who attended.
We’re proud of the work we’ve done to promote Ukrainian literature and culture in the United States, and we’re grateful for the support of our community and partners in making these events a success.
Learn more about and join our Razom Book Club to appreciate Ukrainian literature together.
Learn more about Razom Translates and support our efforts to promote Ukrainian literature in the world. (link)
You can mail a check to 140 2nd. Ave., Suite 305, New York, NY, 10003
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Oblast Competitions
In 2018 we’re planning to cover expenses for 30 teams (6 people per team) at Oblast STEM competitions. Total Budget is $4500
Ruslan Batytskyi
Director, writer and cinematographer with three completed award-winning shorts as well as a feature documentary in post-production. After starting his filmmaker career at 2009, Ruslan brings his skills in project management, process analysis and systems models (received during obtaining MA in cybernetics 2003-2008) and applies them to the creative thinking and artistic thought-processes of film. He also holds BA in Film and Television directing (from the Kyiv National University of theatre, cinema and television by Karpenko-Karyi).
“A chance to participate in The Co-Pilot project it’s an amazing opportunity to help others and to tell the story that will engage and inspire people around the world”
2017 Trip Itinerary
We are gearing up for our 2017 Mission trip. It’ll be a 3-month adventure during which we plan to work with neurosurgeons from several centers from all around the country. Dr.Tomycz has also been invited to deliver an address at the annual Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv.
May 20: arrive in Kyiv, Ukraine
May 22-26: meet with area surgeons at participating centers
May 29- June 9: two week master class with Igor Kurilets MD at the International Neurosurgery Center
June 12-13: Visit to Medical Institute of Sumy State University
June 14-16: Ukrainian Neurosurgery Conference 2017 in Kharkiv
June 19-23: one week course and master class operating in complex spine and craniocervical with Ukrainian spinal surgeons and trainees from Romadanov Institute and International Neurosurgery Center
June 24-July 7: Come back to United States for two weeks
July 10-21: two week master class with Dr. Schlegov at the Neurovascular Institute
July 24-August 4: two week master class in pediatric neurosurgery with surgeons at Lviv Children’s Hospital
August 5-18: travel to out-lying centers of excellence (Stryii, Ivano-Frankivsk, Odesa)
August 21-31: operate with surgeons at Central Military Hospital and International Neurosurgery Center in Kyiv
September 15: leave Ukraine for United States
Surgical Mentors and Medical Support Staff
The best way to train surgeons is by providing hands-on mentorship and assistance in the operating room. One of the primary goals of the Co-Pilot Project is the continued recruitment of high quality surgeons from United States and Canada to spend time with Ukrainian counterparts, consulting on patients and performing procedures.
Surgical Mentors traveling to Ukraine
Jefferson Miley, MD – neurointerventionalist
Jonathan Forbes, MD – skull base neurosurgeon
Matthew Geck, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Not all of the healthcare volunteers will be able to travel to Ukraine but they still will play an important role from home. Utilizing contemporary technology, including live streaming of surgeries and communication via social media the medical support staff will advice and mentor Ukrainian neurosurgeons as they confront difficult cases.
Medical Support Staff
Bido Patel, MD – neuroradiologist
Chandra Krishnan, MD – neuropathologist
Ginger Harrod, MD – neuro-oncologist
Advisory Staff
Tim George, MD – pediatric neurosurgeon
Jim Rose, MD – vascular neurosurgeon
Ryan Murdoch, MD – orthopedic spine surgeon
Patrick Combs, MD – craniofacial surgeon
Nestor Tomycz, MD – functional neurosurgeon
Aaron Stayman, MD – vascular neurologist
Jim Rutka – pediatric neurosurgeon
Ben Warf – pediatric neurosurgeon
Participating Centers in Ukraine Page
Since our exploratory trip in 2016 we have identified a cohort of motivated and talented surgeons who are hungry for additional instruction and eager for collaboration.
Igor Kurilets, MD (International Neurosurgery Center)
Ivan Protsenko, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Kostiantyn Kostiuk, MD (Romadanov Institute)
Vitali Ganjuk, MD (Central Military Hospital, Kyiv)
Taras Mykytyn, MD (Lviv Children’s Hospital)
Dmytro Shcheglov, MD (Neurovascular Institute)
Luke Tomycz, MD
Dr. Luke Tomycz is the newest addition to the pediatric neurosurgical team at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Dr. Tomycz finished first in his high school class of over 200 students and attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA where he double-majored in biology and chemical engineering. He accepted the prestigious Dean’s Full-Tuition Scholarship to attend medical school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he first developed an interest in neurosurgery. After medical school, he began his formal neurosurgical training at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN where he trained under the late Noel Tulipan, MD, a pioneer in fetal neurosurgery for myelomeningocele. During his seven-year residency, he spent two years obtaining an in-folded fellowship in endovascular surgery, becoming proficient in the treatment of aneurysms, AVMs, Moya-Moya syndrome, and complex dural AV fistulae of adults and children. After this, Dr. Tomycz spent an additional year at Seattle Children’s Hospital performing a large volume of complex epilepsy surgery with Jeff Ojemann, MD. Following an exhaustive job search, Dr.Tomycz was attracted to Austin as the city was in the process of launching a new medical school at the University of Texas.
Dr. Tomycz specializes in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery including brain tumors, epilepsy, Chiari malformation, tethered cord syndrome, CSF shunting, and intracranial endoscopy. As one of the only dual-trained, pediatric and endovascular neurosurgeons in the country, he is particularly interested in Moya-Moya, brain aneurysms and AVMs, arteriovenous fistulae, and other complex neurovascular disorders in children as well as adults. His research interests include the use of engineering innovations to improve treatments for hydrocephalus and he has published on a wide variety of neurosurgical topics. Outside the operating room, Dr. Tomycz enjoys playing guitar and hiking in the mountains. He has travelled extensively to perform neurosurgery and take part in short-term medical mission work – in Cuba, Kenya, Honduras, Ecuador, and Ukraine.
Dr. Tomycz grew up with four grandparents who told stories of their youth and taught their grandchildren the language of their homeland – Ukraine. His parents were both born in refugee camps following the second world war, and came to this country in the early 1950s with virtually nothing. His father excelled in academics and went into medicine, and both Luke and his brother Nestor followed suit, pursuing a career in neurosurgery. During a long period of study and training that lasted more than 15 years, Luke resolved to return to the homeland of his grandparents and provide the kind of high quality care that children receive in the United States.
Mariya Soroka
In 2014 at the peak of protests in the Maidan, Mariya joined several fellow Ukrainians living in New York City to create Razom, a young, energetic, and progressive start-up which seeks to amplify the voice of Ukraine to an American audience. An active member of the board, she is responsible for organizing cultural events as well as cooperating with government representatives, activists, and various civic groups and human rights organizations in support of Ukraine’s quest for democracy.
CPP info
Mariya is also heavily involved with fundraising for Razom’s projects via crowdsourcing, charity events, and online petitions. After graduating from Penn State University with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and a dual minor in Entrepreneurship and International Studies, Mariya spent over 5 years in Manhattan working within the content marketing industry. She believes in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world working to rebuild Ukraine one project at a time.
Mariana Magala
Mariana Magala was born in Lviv, Ukraine. She graduated from The University of Chicago in 2013 and holds a B.A. in Economics and Slavic Languages and Literature. Currently, Mariana is a Strategic Analytics Manager at Interline Brands (subsidiary of The Home Depot) in Jacksonville, Florida. She specializes in analytics, business strategy, and nonprofit development. Mariana was the co-chair of a pro-bono consulting group for nonprofits in Chicago for 3 years and is currently the treasurer for a young professionals group at MOSH (Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville).
Mariana joined Razom’s Neurosurgical initiative in 2016. She is very excited to collaborate with the team and develop the initiative into a highly successful program.
