The United Nations estimates there will soon be millions of Ukrainian refugees. Some of them are kids in need of urgent cancer care. Countless other children are still trapped in Ukraine, where their oncology treatment is now in peril.
The team from the Monash Children’s Cancer Centre has established a fundraiser in support of these children to recognise the very personal connection of one of their colleagues.
Dr Nataliya Zhukova is our MyRoom Clinical fellow at the Monash Children’s Cancer Centre. She is also a PhD candidate at the Hudson Monash Paediatric Precision Medicine program, specialising in paediatric brain tumours.
Nataliya comes from the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine, which has been heavily bombarded in the recent outbreak of war, and her own family has been significantly affected by the violence.
Dr Katie Moore, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist and colleague of Nataliya, organised the “Help Ukrainian childhood cancer patients” Go Fund Me page.
“I wanted to do something to wrap our arms around Nat and show her that we support her in this unbelievably difficult time. In her honour I have started a fundraising effort to help Ukrainian childhood cancer patients whose treatment is in peril due to the war.”
All the money raised will go to globally recognised organisations assisting paediatric cancer patients in Ukraine, and institutions offering evacuation for compassionate care. These include the Tabletochki Foundation, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology, Childhood Cancer International and St Jude Global.
“Help is needed as soon as possible so we will be closing this page after two weeks,” says Dr Katie Moore. “Please give whatever you can—any amount will help.”
You can donate now via the Go Fund Me page.
You can also read our recent article on Donation options for Australian flood victims and the crisis in Ukraine.
Approved by Dr Anand Ponniraivan