In the past five years, we have been able to bring sixteen critically ill and medically challenged children from different regions of the Ukraine to Shriners Hospital in Boston for treatment. These kids are coming every year for a roughly 1-3 months long stay in US.
Oleksiy, from Kiev, Ukraine, suffered high voltage electrical burn injuries, of head, chest, trunk, arm and leg, resulting in the amputation of his right. He began treatment in 2005 and returns to Shriner’s Hospital, Boston, MA, annually for surgeries and prosthetic rehabilitation.
Ivan, from Ivano-Frankovsk, Ukraine, suffered high voltage electrical burn injuries of the upper part of his body. He began treatment in 2006 and returns annually for surgical treatment.
Kostya, from Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, suffered high voltage electrical burn injury of arms, left leg had to be amputated. He began treatment in 2007 and returns annually for surgical treatment and prosthetic rehabilitation.
Vladislav, from Odessa region, Ukraine, gasoline burn injury. First visit was in January 2008, annual surgical treatment is required.
Anatolia, from Lvov, Ukraine, burn of her face and both hands, fingers on the left hands were amputated. She came to Shriners in 2008.
Dima, from Kiev region, Ukraine, burn of upper part of his body. Began treatment in 2008, annual surgical treatment is required.
Bogdana, from Kiev, Ukraine, chemical burn of face and upper part of her body. Came to Shriners in 2009, repeated surgical treatment is required.
Valentina, from Crimea, Ukraine, burn injury of face and body. Valentina came to Shriners Hospital in January 2011.
Anastasia, from Kiev region, Ukraine. Anastasia suffer significant spine deformity due to metabolic disorder. She came to Shrinres Hospital in February 2011 and will require long term treatment and rehabilitation.
Dmitry, from Tolyatti
Igor, orphan child from Zaporozhye
The process of bringing these children to Shriners for treatment is complicated and time consuming, because it requires to arrange: (1) visa; (2) Shriners Hospital Application; (3) air transportation; (4) local housing; (5) local transportation; and (6) day to day incidental and food costs. Additionally, because of language and cultural differences, it’s necessary to provide social support to the patient and guardian while they are at Shriners for treatment.
We were able to streamline the process so that patients receive care in Ukraine and physicians there, with the assistance of physicians from Shriner’s Hospital in Boston, identify the most critical patients that would benefit most from the level of care at Shriner’s.