“Box of Courage” by TNMU Volunteers for Children with Cancer

Teachers and students of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University comprehend what is oncopathology especially in children. Six years ago, Tatiana Dzetsyukh, the teacher of the Faculty of Dentistry, initiated a charity project for children with cancer. One of its components was the “Box of Courage”; everyone put toys, colouring books, books, medicines. The main purpose of this “box” is to entertain young patients of the Haematology Department of Ternopil City Children’s Hospital with gifts, to help their dream come true, thus adding inspiration and strength to fight the disease.

Our university has its own charitable traditions. This year, on the St. Nicholas Day, on December 18, new student volunteers of TNMU visited the children of the Haematology Department of Ternopil City Municipal Children’s Hospital within the project “Box of Courage”. Each child received the dream gifts, which they described in their letters to St. Nicholas.

With the funds raised the volunteers also bought the necessary things for the department and filled the “Box of Courage” with puzzles, anti-stress colouring books, coloured pencils, etc. In total, young people managed to raise 14,300 hryvnias. Iryna Kulachkovska, the Head of the Sanitary and Quarantine Department, gave 2,500 hryvnias to our volunteers to the Box of Courage. The students express their gratitude for sensitivity and indifference of all employees of this department.

Today, 7 children aged 3 to 16 are treated in the Haematology Department.

It should be noted that our volunteers have previously found out the needs of children and the hospital department. The head of this department Liudmila Rudko introduced future doctors to her team and young patients.

The medical staff of the Haematology Department of Ternopil City Municipal Children’s Hospital, children and their parents express thanks to the students of TNMU: Ilona Novakivska, Darina Shandruk, Svitlana Maheri, Nazarii Krulik, Olena Baran, Rai Saurav, Meet Vanzara, Jessy Chachuk Orakpo Avnish Panesar, Gurnish Panesar, Mayank Goyal, Umer Salam, and everyone who joined the event! Project coordinator was Associate Professor Olena Pokryshko.

It is nice to see a young people supporting charitable traditions of TNMU and their deeds increase the good in the world. Six years ago, the same enthusiasts started this project. Today they are all doctors, teachers and successful people. Lilia Harasymchuk, Narhiz Dzhavadova, Romaniia Klos, Volodymyr Hutsul, Iryna Lysa, Yurii Vitkovskyi, Petro Vakhovskyi, Bohdan Verbenets, Noor Alghanimey, Yasir Al-Jumali-Yasir Al-jumal-Yasir Al-jumal Sara Al-Rufaie, Donald Odion, Juliet Kusi-Boateng, Abdulhameed Ghasaq Mazin Abdulhameed. Their friendly team came up with the name of the event “Box of Courage”, developed many other events and constantly cared for young patients.

Yanina Chaikivska, Press Secretary

Photos by Avnish Panesar and project participants