Heroes Never Die!

On May 30, 2024, a meeting dedicated to the memory of heroes who died in the Russian-Ukrainian war was held in the TNMU library. The meeting was attended by medical students of TNMU who suffered one of the greatest losses – the loss of their father in the war. The event began with a minute of silence for all those who died for the freedom and independence of Ukraine. Next, the Head of TNMU Centre for Educational and Cultural Development shared photos of the fallen heroes, read the students’ memories of their relatives. We should remember them, because these memories are the most precious thing that remains alive!

The event was attended by teachers of the Department of Children’s Diseases and Paediatric Surgery: Professor Oksana Boyarchuk, Associate Professors Tetiana Hariyan, Sofia Levenets, Svitlana Nykytiuk and Nataliia Yarema.

Professor Oksana Boyarchuk addressed the students with words of sympathy and support and informed those present about the initiative of the University of Lithuania. She noted that with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, from the first days, Ukrainians felt the support of the Lithuanian University and personally of Professor Arunas Valiulis, not only moral, but also material support. During the two years of the war, on the initiative of Professor Arunas Valiulis, who is the co-founder of the Charitable Foundation “For Safe Medicine”, aid grants for Ukrainians were initiated. Lithuanian public medical organizations participated in the fundraising. Assistance was provided to large families (wives and mothers) of soldiers who died at the front, to large families (wives and children) whose breadwinner is at the front.

This year, Professor Arunas Valioulis initiated a grant to help students whose parents died at the front. In January, the foundation helped students from Poltava, and in May 2024, 11 medical students from Ternopil National Medical University received this grant.

With the help of online communication, Arunas Valiulis, Professor, Head of the Paediatric Clinic of Vilnius University, president of the Vilnius Paediatric Society, co-founder and Head of the Charitable Foundation “For Safe Medicine” spoke at the meeting. He began his address to the students with words of support and noted that he and his colleagues start and end their day by watching news from Ukraine. The professor noted that our students are future leaders who have great opportunities. He also promised that he would do everything possible for further internships not only in his educational institution, but also in others.

On behalf of the students of TNMU, the first-year student of the Faculty of Medicine, Myroslava Horaiska, thanked the Lithuanian friends of Ukraine and personally Professor Arunas Valiulis for their help and support.

“No one will ever bring back to you those whom you have lost, but all of us have gathered here so that you feel supported, so that you know that the entire university is behind you, that we are all one family,” Marta Rudenko emphasized once again at the end.

We express our appreciation to Professor Arunas Valioulis and the Charitable Foundation “For Safe Medicine” for the initiative and support of TNMU students.

We sincerely thank all students for their participation, Assoc. Prof. Ivanna Kernychna and Director of TNMU Library Olena Protsiv for their help in organizing the meeting.

The information was provided by the Head of the Centre for Educational and Cultural Development Assoc. Prof. Marta Rudenko.