KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Saint Luke's Hospital is teaming up with Project C.U.R.E., a local nonprofit, to send much-needed medical supplies to Ukraine.
The hospital donated hundreds of supplies, such as syringes, wound care materials and IV's, which hospital workers volunteered to pack into kits this week.
The effort means the world to Dr. Anna Grodzinsky, a cardiologist at Saint Luke's, who was born in Ukraine and immigrated to the U.S. with her parents in 1990.
"To know that our hospital's leadership felt compelled to contribute this substantially and in this way is that much more meaningful having been born there and having visited on a number of occasions," Grodzinsky said.
She still has family members in Ukraine and said it has been gut wrenching to watch the Russian invasion these last few months.
"We felt restless and helpless," Grodzinsky said.
As a health care worker, Grodzinsky knows just how important these items are to patients.
"To have the latest up-to-date materials at their disposal will be extremely meaningful in times of need," she said.
Project C.U.R.E. will handle distributing the supplies to Ukrainian hospitals and medical fields.
Director of Operations Isabelle Woodrum said this is the biggest partnership the nonprofit has done.
"The support from Saint Luke's has been amazing, and all of the volunteers coming in to make an impact on their health care colleagues around the world has been astounding," Woodrum said.
Grodzinsky said she's grateful to her community for the love and support these last few months.
"I've been very truly touched by people who have reached out from all across the city to just express their grief and their condolences about what is going on and to ask how they can help," Grodzinsky said.
Along with the 200, 50-pound duffle bags filled with supplies from Saint Luke's, Project C.U.R.E. will also send 1,000 emergency relief beds and mattresses.
The organization is always looking for more volunteers to help with similar efforts. You can go to the Project C.U.R.E.'s websiteto learn more about how you can help.
