In the fight against epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, the Co-Pilot Project, an initiative under the auspices of Razom Health, has emerged as a beacon of hope for children in Ukraine. Through a generous grant from LivaNova, the leading producer of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) systems, Co-Pilot has brought this life-changing therapy to Ukraine, offering a lifeline to children whose seizures have proven resistant to conventional treatment methods.
The Power of VNS Therapy
VNS therapy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, involves implanting a small device called a neurostimulator under the skin, connected to the vagus nerve. This nerve, which runs from the brain to the abdomen, plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, including seizure activity. The neurostimulator sends mild electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, helping to reduce seizure frequency and severity.
VNS is currently most commonly used for children who have partial seizures that do not respond to traditional interventions.
In Lviv, Ukraine, Mykhailo Lovga, Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the First Medical Union, has successfully implemented the VNS system, bringing relief to six epileptic children. The first two surgeries, for Oleksandra from Mykolaiv and Denys from Dnipro, have been resounding successes.
Denys, a 9-year-old boy, has battled epilepsy since the age of three. Despite numerous medications and brain surgery, his seizures persisted. VNS therapy has offered him a renewed chance to live a normal life. Within three weeks of the operation, Denys has experienced a significant reduction in seizure activity.
In Kyiv, Konstantin Kostiuk, MD, PHD, Chief of Neurosurgery at the Romodanov Neurosurgery Institute, has introduced VNS therapy to a 10-year-old boy named Roman. Roman’s epilepsy, characterized by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, has proven resistant to conventional treatments, including over ten anti-seizure medications and a ketogenic diet. VNS therapy represents another ray of hope for Roman, and the team is anticipating positive outcomes in the coming months.
The Co-Pilot Project’s success in implementing VNS therapy in Ukraine is a testament to the power of partnership and innovation. Working closely with local medical experts, Co-Pilot has ensured that these life-changing treatments reach the children who need them most.
Your support is crucial in enabling Co-Pilot to continue its work of providing life-changing medical care to children in Ukraine. Please consider donating to Razom and help us bring hope to those who need it most.
For the second time, Ukraine played host to the ‘Face the Future Ukraine’ mission, a collaborative effort involving Canadian and American reconstructive surgeons. This initiative brought global experts together with their Ukrainian colleagues to perform over 30 life-changing plastic surgeries on individuals who bore the scars of war. Among the patients were military personnel from various regions of Ukraine, all sharing a common experience of severe blast injuries to the face and neck.
Meet Andrii Smolenskyi, a 27-year-old who, after volunteering for the front lines at the onset of the war, eventually became the commander of a separate aerial reconnaissance unit. In late May 2023, during one of the missions, he suffered a grievous injury. Andrii lost both arms, his eyes, and partially his hearing.
Andrii Smolenskyi
Andrii has undergone nearly two dozen surgeries, and thanks to the heroic efforts of Ukrainian doctors, his life was miraculously saved. However, a significant scar painfully contracted his face. Surgeons from the ‘Face the Future’ mission took on the task of relieving his pain and enhancing the aesthetics of his face. In a complex, 6-hour surgery, they removed deformed tissue, placed a titanium implant under the eye, transplanted fat tissue and skin from his neck, and prepared his eye for cosmetic implants.
Dr. Peter Adamson, Founder and President of the Face the Future Foundation, described this as an exceptionally challenging case due to the patient’s multiple combined injuries, with most of the facial bones and muscles missing after the injury. He noted that this mission in Ukraine presented the most severe combined cases in their experience and expressed their commitment to returning every six months to assist Ukrainian defenders and train local colleagues.
Dr. Peter A. Adamson, MD (Canada) and Nataliya Komashko, MD ( UA)
To perform these unique surgeries, a team of 15 international specialists, including reconstructive surgeons, oculoplastic surgeons, plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists, surgical oncologists, anesthesiologists, and nurses, arrived in Ukraine. They worked alongside and shared their expertise with Ukrainian specialists from Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, and Zaporizhzhia.
The preparation for this mission spanned five months, involving extensive online consultations for patient selection and surgical planning. For many patients, free individual implants were designed and 3D-printed by bioengineers from Materialize to restore the integrity of bones that were fragmented due to injury, said Nataliia Komashko, MD, Head of Ukrainian Association of Endoscopic Head and Neck Surgeries, who led the clinical program from Ukrainian side.
Dr. Nataliya Komashko (UA) (on the left)
This successful partnership between ‘Face the Future Foundation,’ ‘Razom for Ukraine,’ and ‘Still Strong’ has evolved into a long-term program, demonstrating remarkable results in training and supporting Ukrainian doctors in their professional development. It signifies an extraordinary achievement and outcome that will help Ukrainian doctors contribute to global medicine.
Dr. Cho, Dr. Kesarwani and Dr. Trites with a patient
During the two ‘Face the Future Ukraine’ missions, the team of experts successfully restored physical health and aesthetic beauty for over 70 Ukrainians. Importantly, all reconstructive surgeries were provided free of charge to the patients.
These missions also hosted international symposia for surgeons and nurses, allowing specialists from Canada, the U.S., and Ukraine to share their experiences in performing complex reconstructive interventions and the nuances of managing patients with combat injuries. More than 200 surgeons and nearly 300 nurses participated in the symposia.
Lileia Dzaliuk, Co-Pilot Coordinator in Ukraine
The Razom Co-Pilot Project has been facilitating the organization of highly qualified doctors’ visits to Ukraine since 2016. With the outbreak of war, medical organizations and teams from the U.S. and Canada approached Razom for support in helping Ukraine. Currently, the Razom Co-Pilot Project provides organizational and financial support to the largest teams in the U.S. and Canada, including ‘Face the Future,’ ‘Face to Face,’ ‘Global Leap Missions,’ and ‘Co-Pilot Neuro.’ Over 100 North American doctors have worked in Ukraine, performing 300 complex surgeries this year alone.
“We understand that it is impossible to help all patients during the short stay of the international team. Therefore, one of the leading goals of Co-Pilot is to train Ukrainian doctors and help them become leaders in their field and save thousands. Each international team conducts educational events: conferences, lectures and consults Ukrainian doctors online. Razom supports the observership for Ukrainian doctors in the U.S.. Only this year, 10 UA doctors had such an opportunity”, said Yuliia Shama, U.S. Co-Pilot Project Lead.
We are immensely grateful to the team of Face the Future Ukraine:
Surgeons Team Peter A. Adamson, Nataliya Biskup, Matthew Brace, Raymond Cho, Jonathan Trites, Priya Kesarwani, Paul Slavchenko
OR Team Jackie Abbott, Bibi Yasin, Janae Weber, Emma Piehl, Khristie Morrell, Luci Heiman, Hanna Robinson
Gail Kapsambelis (videographer)
Advisors Mark Levin, Anthony Brissett, Burke Bradley, Debbie Fritz, Maureen Merchant
The ‘Face the Future Ukraine’ humanitarian program is a joint effort involving organizations such as Face The Future Foundation (Canada), Razom for Ukraine (USA), Still Strong (UA).
We are immensely grateful to all partners and donors:
CF Patients of Ukraine, and the project “Rehabilitation of War Injuries.” organized academic days. The mission received support from Direct Relief, Materialize, STORZ Karl-Storz Ukraine, the Ukrainian Association of Endoscopic Head and Neck Surgery, the Regional Clinical Hospital of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Council, Metinvest, Yellow Blue Force Foundation, the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Military Administration, Transmed, CF «Чисті Серця», and Razom.
In the latest chapter of Co-Pilot NEURO’s longtime work, Ukrainian and American specialists continue to evolve the neurosurgery sector in Ukraine.
Since 2016, Razom’s Co-Pilot project has been transforming the field of neurosurgery in Ukraine. The initiative employs a tried and true “train the trainer” model, providing experiential education to top-tier professionals and sharing global medical expertise to be shared further with Ukrainian colleagues and students.
Within this vast portfolio of education and training, two endovascular neurosurgeons from New York University (NYU) Langone Health and Bellevue HHC, Dr. Maksim Shapiro and Dr. Peter Kim Nelson, ventured to Ukraine recently, aiming to provide cutting-edge surgical care.
During their intensives across three key neurosurgery centers, a total of 21 surgeries were performed. Many of these procedures were broadcast in real-time, facilitating knowledge sharing among Ukrainian neurosurgeons.
The educational component was also a pivotal aspect of their trip. An international endovascular online conference, BANANAZ, featured lectures by experts like by Dr. Yuriy Cherednichenko, MD, PHD on the management of traumatic war injuries. Over 80 neurosurgeons benefited from these educational activities, including those attending the Annual Ukrainian Neurosurgical Association conference.
In addition to their expertise, Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Nelson also brought invaluable medical equipment and supplies worth over $1.2 million.
Looking ahead, they plan to create an observership at NYU for Ukrainian endovascular neurosurgeons. The next mission, set for Spring 2024, will focus on Dnipro, Lviv, and Kyiv, with a strong emphasis on live surgeries and educational outreach.
The work of the Co-Pilot NEURO program showcases not only the progress in neurosurgery but also the unwavering commitment of the American and Ukrainian medical communities to support the development of Ukraine’s healthcare system.
The partnership is a beacon of hope for the future of neurosurgery in Ukraine. Thank you to all participants for their unwavering support in making this mission a success!
Razom Co-Pilot Project’s medical missions/medical training in Ukraine) was started with the idea to bring the best neurosurgery practices to Ukraine and form a new generation of neurosurgery leaders among Ukrainian doctors. This program has since successfully expanded to more specialties:
“Face to Face Ukraine” programs together with the American Academy of Facial Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons and INgenious providing reconstructive facial surgery with orthopedic and speech therapy components.
“Face the Future Ukraine” program with Face the Future Foundation (Canada) and Still Strong (Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Hospital) performing reconstructive facial surgeries, academic days for surgeons and nurses.
“Leap Global Mission Ukraine” focusing mostly on facial reconstructive surgeries for children.
The Co-Pilot NEURO Program withs four subspecialties: endovascular neurosurgery, epilepsy surgical treatments, spinal neurosurgery, and open neurosurgery.
The Co-Pilot Ortho Program (Kyiv, Dnipro hospitals).
Results of the program’s work from 2016 to 2023:
Over 100 doctors and medical personnel visited Ukraine.
More than 245 complex surgeries were performed.
Over 1500 patients were consulted.
Over 120 Ukrainian surgeons participated in the missions and improved their qualifications.
Over 2000 Ukrainian surgeons watched live streams of surgeries.
More than 10 doctors underwent internships at U.S. universities.
Nearly 20 Ukrainian hospitals were involved in the program.
Nearly 900 Butterfly devices have been distributed throughout Ukraine via global health partnerships, with Razom alone contributing more than 400 units.
BURLINGTON, MA, October 4, 2023 – Butterfly Network, Inc. a digital health company transforming care through the power of portable, semiconductor-based ultrasound technology and intuitive software, and Razom, a US-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting a democratic and prosperous Ukraine,today announced that they have expanded their global health partnership to bring an additional 200 Butterfly iQ+ devices to the frontlines of the war in Ukraine. Razom has now alone deployed over 400 Butterfly iQ+ devices to Ukraine, and has been a leader in driving Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training and utilization in the country.
“We feel immensely grateful to strengthen our cooperation with Butterfly Network, working together to empower numerous Ukrainian healthcare providers with POCUS technology. The Butterfly iQ+ probe, renowned for its comprehensive whole-body assessment capabilities, is incredibly compact and lightweight, making it the perfect tool for medics and first responders to carry into the field. Moreover, it’s invaluable for performing routine prenatal and primary care services within survival shelters. This partnership symbolizes our commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality in Ukraine, even under the most challenging circumstances,” said Dan Solchanyk, Program Director, Razom Health.
“At Butterfly, improving access to ultrasound technology in austere, under-resourced or emergency settings is core to our mission. We are proud to work with partners like Razom who share our commitment to not only deploying technology, but driving adoption and usage of POCUS through education and training. Through these partnerships, our advanced imaging technology and ultrasound education materials reach the places that need it most worldwide,” said Joseph DeVivo, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of Butterfly Network.
Since February 2022 when Butterfly initiated its rapid response outreach to humanitarian and veterinary nonprofits responding in Ukraine, the company has deployed nearly 900 Butterfly devices into the country through over 40 global health partnerships.
To learn more about the impact of Butterfly’s cross-sector partnership for supporting the Ukrainian crisis, visit: read the case study here.
Founded by Dr. Jonathan Rothberg in 2011 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange through a business combination with Longview Acquisition Corp., Butterfly created the world’s first handheld, single probe whole-body ultrasound system using semiconductor technology, the Butterfly iQ+. Butterfly’s mission is to democratize medical imaging and contribute to the aspiration of global health equity, making high-quality ultrasound affordable, easy-to-use, globally accessible, and intelligently connected, including for the 4.7 billion people around the world lacking access to ultrasound. Through its proprietary Ultrasound-on-Chip™ technology, Butterfly is paving the way for earlier detection and remote management of health conditions around the world. The Butterfly iQ+ can be purchased today by trained healthcare practitioners in areas including, but not limited to, parts of Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America; to learn more about available countries, visit: www.butterflynetwork.com/choose-your-country.
About Razom
Razom for Ukraine (Razom) was founded in 2014 and is one of the leading US-based nonprofits dedicated to the mission of supporting a democratic and prosperous Ukraine. With a robust international network of volunteers and partners, Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian, provides humanitarian aid, and administers programs and services focused on health, advocacy, civil society and culture. Razom advances its mission by creating spaces where people meet, partner and do, while maintaining a relentless focus on the needs on the ground in Ukraine. Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Razom for Ukraine has grown to include over 200,000 donors and volunteers. Website: www.razomforukraine.org
Razom for Ukraine welcomed back a team of doctors from LEAP Global Missions who completed their 7-day medical visit to Lviv in March 2023. The team consulted more than 200 children and performed 35 highly-skilled surgeries at following hospitals: Ohkhmadyt Lviv Regional Children’s Hospital, First Emergency Adult Hospital, St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital, and a Military Hospital.
The team was organized by Dr. Steve Orten (tag), a plastic surgeon from Texas who visited Ukrainian hospitals independently in 2022 and shared his experience with US colleagues from LEAP Global Missions (tag), motivating them to visit Ukraine. The team’s preparation lasted two months, including regular Zoom meetings with Ukrainian doctors, patient selection, and revision of medical supplies.
Photo: Dr. Steve Orten, Plastic Surgeon from Texas USA and Ukrainian surgeon Dr. Christina Pohranychna look at CT scans of a patient in Lviv Regional Children’s Hospital as the father looks on.
The Co-Pilot Project: an initiative within Razom for Ukraine which coordinates and supports medical missions, supports this team of surgeons by covering housing, food, medical supplies, transportation, and providing scrubs to the doctors. Drs. Steve Orten (tag) and Craig Hobar (tag) led a team of 11 doctors who specialized in head and neck reconstruction, craniofacial surgeries and orthodontics, neurosurgery, urology and dermatology. Local logistics were organized by CMA UA (tag ) to make doctors feel at home in the Ukrainian city of Lviv.
LEAP surgeons collaborated with Ukrainian surgeons in treating complicated craniofacial cases. “Our team worked with incredibly capable, professional, respectable Ukrainian surgeons. LEAP’s mission was to expose them to new surgical techniques, and LEAP was excited to assist with this cooperative relationship,” commented LEAP Media Director Jon Cermin, who documented the trip.
The medical team provided treatment for babies and children with birth defects, tumors of both children and adults in the head and neck area, traumas and scar revisions caused by shelling, from burns and other traumatic events. Two of the surgeries performed during the trip were complex maxillary midface advancement surgeries with computer planning, led by Dr. Craig Hobar, the Founder and Medical Director of LEAP Global Missions. The surgeries are expected to have a significant impact on the two young men’s quality of life, including how they function, eat, and even smile. Having exposure to this surgical procedure will change how these cases can be managed in the future in Ukraine.
The team included Ukrainian-American doctors, Dr. Victor Cherkasij (tag), Skin Cancer and Cosmetic Dermatology PC. Dr. Cherkasij not only treated difficult dermatological cases but also translated for his colleagues. He believes one week is not enough and plans to return for two or three weeks.
“Since the war started, I’ve been watching the war trying to understand and I was seeing the horrors of the war and I always felt I wanted to help Ukraine. I’m very happy I have something to offer, and we hope we will do it again.” – said James Suen(tag), MD, from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Photo: Dr. James Suen, Facial Plastic Surgery Otolaryngologist, Little Rock, Arkansas, Victor Cherkasij, PA, Dermatology from Cleveland, Tennessee and Dr. Christina Pohranychna, Okhmadyt Lviv Regional Children’s Hospital, Ukraine
The educational and training component of medical visits is the most important part that helps to establish a sustainable professional health care system in Ukraine.
Dr. Cheryl Anderson-Cermin (tag), craniofacial orthodontist, gave lectures to dental students, as well as the orthodontic residents from the Orthodontic Department of the Dental School in Lviv in regards to management of the infant, adolescent and adult individual with cleft lip and palate
Photo: Dr. Cheryl Anderson-Cermin, DDS, Craniofacial Orthodontics giving lecture to Ukrainian students in the the Orthodontic Department of the Dental School in Lviv
Dr. Anderson-Cermin outlined that the goals in this partnership are to bring additional expertise in these areas as the orthodontist on the team walks the child and the family through the process of the initial diagnosis, to the end of the growing years. The importance of psychological support for these families is also stressed, and the orthodontist has a significant role to play in this regard. Supplies were presented to the Orthodontic department to allow them to properly evaluate and treat future individuals.
It is worth mentioning that the urgent need for such complex surgeries in Ukraine is more significant than ever before. Thus, medical trips like this one are crucial for the treatment of patients who are in need. As these trips not only provide medical treatment, but more importantly, allow transfer of knowledge and skills to Ukrainian medical professionals.
Thank you to LEAP Global Missions US TEAM for their support of Ukraine:
Craig Hobar, MD, Craniofacial/Plastics
Steve Orten, MD, Facial Plastic Surgeon
Setty Pradeep, MD, Neurosurgery/Spine
Suen James, MD, Facial Plastic Surgery/H&N
Mark Hnatiuk, MD, Craniofacial/Plastics
Roman Bukachevsky, MD, ENT/Facial Plastics
Cheryl Cermin, DDS, Craniofacial Orthodontics
Victor Cherkasij, PA, Dermatology
Clanton Harrison, MD, Pediatric Urology
Jon Cermin, Photo/Video
Tatyana Bessmertnaya, Photo/Video/Translation
From Left: Rudy Myhovych, Christian Medical Assoc. Of Ukraine, Dr. Mark Hnatiuk, Dr. Pradeep Setty, Dr. Roman Bukachevsky, Dr. James Suen, Dr. Steve Orten, Dr. Clanton Harrison.
Leap Global Missions group: In-front: Tatyana Bessmertnaya and Dr. Craig Hobar In the back from left to right: Dr. Cheryl Anderson-Cermin, Dr. James Suen, Dr. Mark Hnatiuk, Dr. Steve Orten, Dr. Victor Czerkasij, Dr. Roman Bukachevsky, Dr. Pradeep Setty. Not pictured, Dr. Clanton Harrison
Cover photo: Photo: Dr. Craig Hobar assists Ukrainian surgeons Christina Pohranychna and Dr. Roman Ogonovsky, Ohkhmadyt Lviv Regional Children’s Hospital
The Face to Face mission of American facial reconstructive surgeons took place in a Lviv hospital on April 22-29. Nine doctors and eight nurses from the United States, along with their Ukrainian colleagues, performed free reconstructive and plastic surgeries on soldiers who had suffered face and neck injuries on the front line during russia’s war against Ukraine.
Great thanks to the team of
Surgeons: Drs Manoj Abraham, John Frodel, Augustine Moscatello, Gregoriy Mashkevich, Bruce Moskowitz, Ryan Winters, Boris Chernobilski, and Ivanka Nebor.
Nurses: Susan Ketigian, Teresa O’Malley, Lindsey Norrito, Kirsten Kringle, Joanne Heil, Iryna Frankiv, Yuriy Tsuvanyk, and Mariana Varchuk
Administrators: Aly Owens and Lisa Kadin
Drs Winters, Mashkevich, Rudomanenko, Chernobilsky, Moscatello, Panchenko, Abraham and Nebor
The mission duration was 7 days. Over 5 surgical days, 26 reconstructive surgeries were performed, five of which were unique procedures – bone transplants from legs and arms for the reconstruction of the jaw and nose.
Surgical cases included:
5 free flaps (3 fibular free flap, 1 radial free flap and 1 anterolateral thigh flap) for reconstruction of mandibular, maxillary and midface defects
11 personalized titanium 3D implants for facial bones reconstruction (Materialise)
5 complex rhinoplasties
1 facial nerve reconstruction with graft
Drs Rudomanenko, Mashkevich, Chernobilsky, Moscatello and Nebor are performing flap harvesting from the leg for mandibular reconstruction
Dr Ryan Winters (USA) and Vitaliy Panchenko (Ukraine)
The mission preparation took 3 months. We received more than 100 applications, but were able to select only 30. Following consultations, 26 patients underwent surgeries. There were 5 patients from the previous mission, which took place in September 2022. The American and Ukrainian teams worked side by side.
We are grateful to Ukrainian plastic surgeon Vitaliy Panchenko for his work and courage to host such a complex mission in his department. He, along with surgeons Mykola Syniuk, Tetiana Rudomanenko, Yuriy Herbish and Ukrainian anesthesiologists and nurses, made this mission possible and successful. Special gratitude goes to Hryhoriy Prokhorenko and Volodymyr Knychnytskyy.
Ukrainian team - Drs Syniuk, Knygynitsky, Prokhorenko and Panchenko
Drs Mashkevich and Nebor during patients consultation
First day - Patients consultation
On average, the surgeons operated for 15 hours daily. The total cost of all operations would have been about $1,000,000 in the United States. The team brought with them medical supplies, surgical threads, tools and equipment totaling about $100,000.
The microvascular instruments set was presented to Ukrainian plastic surgeon Dr. Vitaliy Panchenko by American team (Dr Mashkevich, Dr Panchenko, Susan Ketigian and Dr Abraham)
With the help of Materialise, titanium 3D implants for facial bone reconstruction were modeled and printed for patients, although such technologies and production are quite expensive. Professionals from Materialise provided free modeling and printing for Ukrainian patients, and volunteers were present at each surgery to help surgeons with visualization for each case.
Specialists from Materialise - Anastasia Krychun, Oleksandr Kanivets, Olha Horniak
One of the main goals of the Face to Face mission is to train Ukrainian surgeons. On the first day, American surgeons organized a workshop on applying vascular anastomoses under a microscope. They also conducted a training on the basics of scar reconstruction.
With the support of the Karl Storz Ukraine and Bionorica, the three surgical days were broadcast live, with more than 500 Ukrainian otolaryngologists, maxillofacial surgeons, plastic surgeons and ophthalmologists participating. The procedures were commented by Ukrainian specialists – Prof. Kopchak A.V., Bilotserkivsky I.V., Chepurny Y.V., Omerova L.M. and Yushchenko V.M.
Dr John Frodel and Razom for Ukraine team administrator Aly Owens
The Face to Face team was awarded by Lviv Regional State Administration and the Mayor of the City for volunteering efforts and helping Ukrainian victims of war. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi also met with the team and thanked them for their support and work.
Face to Face team was awarded by Lviv Regional State Administration for their efforts and met with Mayor of Lviv - Andriy Sadovyi
The project is aimed at helping the soldiers and war-affected Ukrainians who have suffered head and neck injuries. This project is about reuniting caring people to help others. We are already planning our third mission. And we thank every partner and volunteer who makes this project possible!
We would like also to thank Yulia Shama (Razom), Iryna Gudyma (Razom), Ihor Kurylo (INgenius), Ihor Solovei (INgenius) and Oleksandr Zakorchenyi (Materialise) for their significant contribution to the mission.
The first Face to Face mission took place in September 2022 in Ivano-Frankivsk, where the team conducted 31 operations for soldiers and civilians who suffered from facial and neck injuries during the Russian-Ukrainian war. Details are here.
“Razom has always been, and will continue to be, a volunteer-driven organization, and as we scale and grow, we are excited to bring on full-time staff who can sustain our donation pipeline, effectively deploy resources and funds to save lives and continue to ensure the world hears about Ukraine”
Razom has made the following organizational updates, effective immediately:
Lydia Kokolskyj, VP of Development, Razom: Lydia (Lida) has joined Razom full time as the VP of Development, where she will be responsible for identifying, engaging, cultivating, and stewarding current and prospective donors to meet annual revenue targets, in addition to securing the ongoing delivery of programs to support Ukraine. An accomplished leader in nonprofit advancement, Lydia has raised over $250 million for many deserving causes and holds a comprehensive background with three decades of experience in a range of nonprofit management roles including institutional and business development, strategic planning, marketing, communications, public relations and events planning.
Dan Solchanyk, Program Director, Razom Health: Dan will be joining Razom full time as the Program Director for Razom Health, which supports hospitals and other healthcare institutions that serve the civilian population in Ukraine. Dan grew up in a mixed Ukrainian-American household and has over a decade of experience leading emergency response teams and effectively managing health programs in some of the world’s most challenging conflict and disaster settings, including Ukraine. Dan earned his BS in Human Development from UC Davis and will be graduating from Northwestern with a MS in Global Health.
Anna Solovei, Program Director, Razom Relief: Anna will be joining Razom full time as the Program Director for the Razom Relief project, which aims to help non-governmental organizations in Ukraine provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the occupation. As Program Director, Anna will continue the program’s vital work of providing relief and support to those in need. Anna holds an MBA from London Business School and has garnered valuable experience during her tenure as a director at PwC and as Principal Banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Melinda Haring, Senior Community Engagement Advisor and Doug Klain, Research Analyst, Razom Advocacy: Melinda will join Razom Advocacy as a Senior Community Engagement Advisor, helping lead Razom’s grassroots advocacy work around the country. She is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Previously, she was Director of Stakeholder Relations & Social Impact for the Superhumans Center in Ukraine and deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Doug will join Razom Advocacy as a Research Analyst supporting Advocacy’s Government Affairs and Community Relations work. A recent graduate of the London School of Economics, he is a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Most recently, he was an assistant director at the Eurasia Center.
Dora Chomiak, CEO; Oksana Falenchuk, CFO; Zoe Ripecky, COO, Razom: Dora has been appointed CEO of Razom. Previously, Dora held the role of President of the Board of Directors for the organization. Oksana has been appointed CFO, where she will be responsible for leading the work on budgets, financial management and reporting. Zoe has been appointed COO, responsible for overseeing organizational processes and ensuring successful program implementation.
“Razom has always been, and will continue to be, a volunteer-driven organization, and as we scale and grow, we are excited to bring on full-time staff who can sustain our donation pipeline, effectively deploy resources and funds to save lives and continue to ensure the world hears about Ukraine,” said Dora Chomiak, Razom CEO. “We’re grateful to Lydia, Dan, Anna, Oksana and Zoe for joining Razom as full-time staff, as well as Melinda and Doug for joining our Advocacy Team.”
Within hours after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, Razom employed its developed network of grassroots organizations in Ukraine to assess the needs and start helping people in the Kherson region.
Russian deliberate actions caused a humanitarian emergency. Water from the Kakhovka water reservoir flooded wide areas, endangering and forcing thousands of civilians to leave their homes.
Our partners, Rescue Now, have been evacuating civilians and animals since the first hours. With a $25k grant provided by Razom, they have also been delivering needed supplies, including drinking water, food, hygiene products, evacuation boats, and charging stations. The team coordinated with governmental first responders to reach all places in need, despite the constant shelling and missile attacks on the region. Within only 5 days, Rescue Now also set up a humanitarian base in Kherson, which serves as a logistical hub for humanitarian aid for numerous NGOs and as a temporary shelter for evacuees.
Rescue Now, with support from Razom, responds to the emergency on the ground in Kherson
Razom Health team worked with the Ministry of Health in the Kherson region and local NGOs and went to Kherson within the first day. We delivered medicine and protective clothing to local hospitals taking in patients and survivors of the floods. In the following week, our drivers embarked on multiple trips to continue supplying hospitals. Our team in Kyiv packs the supplies while a smaller team loads up the vans and sets out to make the deliveries of aid all over the affected areas of Kherson. This way, we ensure that not a single minute is wasted.
Razom team in Ukraine works daily on humanitarian deliveries to the Kherson region
Our team members making the deliveries speak to people on the ground and learn what their needs are to communicate them to the Razom community, including our large network of local NGOs. Many of our partnering organizations and grantees are on the ground in the Kherson region as well. Volonterska, HelpGroup, Stezhka Dodomy, Ukraina SOS, Fight for Rights, and many others have been delivering humanitarian aid to people in the region.
NGO Volonterska delivers humanitarian aid from Razom in the Kherson region
Two days following the destruction, NGO “Zakhyst” from Khmelnytskyi met the first evacuees. Using a $50k grant, they support the evacuation of 1,000 people from the flooded areas of the Kherson region, welcomed and provided them with essentials such as hygiene products, clothing, and food right at the train station upon their arrival. The organization also provided evacuees with psychosocial support.
GO “Zakhyst” welcomes refugees at Khmelnytskyi train station
While out teams continue to support people amidst humanitarian crises, Razom also works to mitigate the long-term consequences of the disaster and help Ukraine prevent future russian-made catastrophes.
On the day following the destruction, Razom Advocacy team in DC immediately picked up the work. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam fits the centuries-old pattern of colonial violence and is yet another manifestation of Russian genocidal intent in Ukraine — we work to make sure the world hears that. Therefore, we reached out to more than 2,000 people in our advocacy network and mobilized them to contact their Congressional representatives and ask for support for the resolution declaring Ukraine’s invasion to be genocide (H.Res. 154 / S.Res. 72).
We have also been working to connect Ukrainians affected by the flood with media outlets so that their story can be heard by the world and increased our engagement with elected officials and their staff to keep decision-makers aware of the latest updates directly from the ground in Kherson.
The destruction of the dam caused an environmental disaster and permanently disturbed the region. As a result of russian terror, the Kakhovka water reservoir disappeared, leaving tens of thousands in the entire south of Ukraine without access to drinking water. Razom Relief team earlier installed multiple water filtering stations in Mykolaiv and Donetsk regions together with Ukrainian partner Wise Water, and now we are working to procure these stations in Kherson and provide stable access to water.
Kherson still needs help. We continue supporting evacuees who lost their homes and delivering life-saving medicine to hospitals that are taking people from affected regions. Our teams in Ukraine, alongside our local partners, will make more trips to the Kherson region to bring humanitarian aid to those in need. Razom Relief team talks to local organizations to start future projects in the region.
We work with our numerous partners in Ukraine and employ all our resources to ensure the help arrives when and where it is needed, and we ask for your support.
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.
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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.
