595 children with serious illnesses are receiving inpatient treatment at the national specialized children’s hospital “Okhmatdyt”, 80 of them are infants. A special category of patients is those injured as a result of the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine. The Command of the United Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been taking care of the hospital’s young patients for a long time: it organizes festive theater and circus performances, interactive developing games, and, of course, gives sweets. The hospital has already repeatedly received help from the military in equipping treatment rooms and a rehabilitation center, as well as important medical equipment.
This time, the servicemen led by the commander of the United Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Serhii Naev, visited “Okhmatdit” again not empty-handed: each child received a sweet gift, and those who do not want to eat sweets – a toy or a book. The support of the event was provided by PrJSC “Dnipropetrovsk Combine of Food Concentrates” (“Golden Grain” trademark) and BO BF “Protect the Future”.
– With gifts, we pass on part of our dreams to the children: that everyone who is treated here will definitely recover, that our children will live a full life, and that only a bright future awaits them. We do everything to make childhood real – with a joyful smile on our faces, – noted Lieutenant General Serhiy Naev at a meeting with children and doctors.
The medical facility prepared its gifts as gratitude to the defenders – two scopes and a night vision device. For this purpose, an action called “Maslyana goes – brings victory” was held, which coincided with the anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As explained by Volodymyr Zhovnir, the general director of Okhmatdyt, “we wanted, firstly, to do something useful for the state, for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and, secondly, to support morale in the hospital, unite all doctors, all employees for the sake of victory.”
It was a fair sale, for which preparations were made very carefully: everyone baked pancakes. It turned out to be a real holiday for doctors and hospital staff, as well as for young patients and their parents. He was visited by employees of all departments, dressed in national clothes. It was fun and interesting. The relevant commission counted the funds and determined the winners. In total, more than one hundred thousand hryvnias were collected. The first place was taken by the Ukrainian reference center, which collected about UAH 14,000. Mrs. Natalya, head of the reference laboratory, shares the secret of the team’s victory: “We tried very hard and wanted very much to raise the most funds to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
And then they turned to the military with a proposal to purchase with the funds received what was most needed.
Mykhailo Silchenko, the head of the department of abdominal surgery, which won the second place, enthusiastically says: “When the idea of helping the military came up, everyone got excited about it, starting from the junior, middle-class employees, and all the way to the doctors. The doctor-surgeon brought here a frying pan and cooked pancakes all night himself. Who made dumplings, who made pancakes, who else… Our department sold these pancakes for eight and a half thousand hryvnias. And these are only employees…”
The commander thanked the doctors and staff of the children’s hospital for the assistance provided. The devices will be transferred to military units that perform tasks on the border with the Russian Federation.
– We will definitely use them to protect our soldiers and our victory. Let little Ukrainians get well soon! Serhiy Naev noted.
And then he turned to the little one:
– In a liberated Ukraine, there will be a place for the dreams of each of you. Dream – and we will protect your dreams!
And he himself immediately began to realize small children’s dreams: he took selfies with them, answered questions, listened to prepared poems.
Satisfied little patients and their relatives took the opportunity to wish the Ukrainian servicemen strength, patience and victory:
– Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and doctors are our hope! Ukrainians are so strong. The main thing is that we persevere. The main thing is that we are all together and live well. Thank you for our peaceful nights and peaceful days, thank you for protecting us!
According to the doctors, observing the children, such visits by military personnel are a kind of ZSU therapy for children and employees. On behalf of the entire team, the General Director of “Okhmatdyt” expressed his sincere gratitude to Lieutenant General Serhii Naev for his care, charitable help and support.
