Since the outbreak of war in 2022, Teresa has worked with a small volunteer team to coordinate the delivery of critical medical and humanitarian aid directly to hospitals and communities across Ukraine. She has personally travelled to Ukraine multiple times during the conflict to assess needs on the ground, build trusted local partnerships, and ensure that donated equipment reaches the people who need it most.
Through these efforts, five large shipping containers of medical equipment have already been delivered, with a sixth currently in preparation. The aid includes hospital beds, diagnostic equipment, radiology systems, ventilators, surgical equipment and more than 140 portable ultrasound devices, now used by Ukrainian doctors to rapidly diagnose internal injuries in emergency and battlefield conditions.
Teresa also spoke about the vital role of local Rotary networks, including the Rotary Club of Berdychiv, Ukraine, whose members assist with receiving, transporting and distributing medical supplies to hospitals and regional clinics, ensuring help reaches even the most vulnerable communities.
She shared the devastating reality facing Ukraine’s health system, with thousands of verified attacks on hospitals and medical facilities and widespread destruction of electricity and water infrastructure. Despite this, she spoke movingly about the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who continue to work, study, care for their families and support one another under extraordinarily difficult conditions.
Our Club’s Contribution
Rotary Mt Eliza is proud to be funding a water purification system at a large educational institution in Ukraine, made possible through a $6,000 donation raised by our members and community.
This system will provide safe drinking water to more than 2,000 students and local residents, reducing the risk of water-borne disease and restoring an essential service in an area where infrastructure has been heavily damaged.
Working in partnership with the Rotary Club of Berdychiv, this project demonstrates how local Rotary clubs, when connected globally, can deliver practical solutions with real and lasting impact. This project is being co-ordinated with Rotary Ukraine Unity, who are assisting with the water filtration system along with Diahanna Senko (Director of Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO), who is working with President Jim Young to make this happen.
We thank Teresa for her dedication and courage, and we thank our members and community for continuing to demonstrate what “Service Above Self” truly means.
