Yukon to Ukraine Mission #3: March 2024

In March 2024, Jeff Sloychuk returned to Ukraine as part of the 3rd team sent by UCAY. He was joined by Taras Yurkiv on this trip.

Jeff and Taras first flew to Amsterdam, where they procured a Volkswagen T5 van, filled it with over 20 suitcases of medicines and supplies, and proceeded to complete a marathon drive through Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, reaching Yuzhnoukrains’k 36 hours after leaving Rotterdam.

In Yuzhnoukrains’k they had a joyful reunion with Dr. Serhii Lupov, hospital director, and Dr. Maksym Berezovyy, medical director. They delivered over $40,000 of antibiotics and other medicines procured through Health Partners International Canada as well as significant amounts of hospital supplies donated by Yukon Government. They were also able to give the hospital directors $14,000 in monetary funds to be spent on hospital equipment.

As in every other visit to the hospital, a press conference was held in front of some of the medical staff.

Jeff and Taras also experienced the daily air alarms that go off in Yuzhnoukrains’k, necessitating a trip into the basement utility corridors, now turned into the only bomb shelter available.

After a too-short visit with Serhii and Maksym, Jeff and Taras drove the vehicle, adorned with the logos of contributing Yukon businesses and organizations, back to western Ukraine and Whitehorse’s new sister city, Chortkiv.

Upon arrival in Chortkiv, Jeff and Taras participated in a day of intense ceremony with Mayor Volodymyr Shmatko and other dignitaries: flag raisings, anthems, and speeches. The military supplies, including tourniquets, stretchers, bandages, medical supplies, electronics, and radios were given to Pokrova Chortkiv, whose volunteers will deliver them to the front lines.

In a poignant exchange, the keys to the vehicle were given to a local army commander. The van will be outfitted with stretchers and driven east to be used for medical evacuations.

The visit to Chorkiv and area continued with meetings connecting education professionals and firefighters with their Yukon counterparts. Jeff and Taras also had the opportunity to visit a local orphanage.