Cork volunteers to provide mobility aids to Ukrainian hospitals

'There is no facility in the HSE by which crutches can be returned and it seems a shame that these perfectly good devices should remain unused. We are sending them to where they are needed.' File picture: Larry Cummins

A pilot project has been set up by volunteers in Cork to provide wheelchairs, walking aids and other medical equipment to Ukrainians injured in Russian attacks on their country.

A team of volunteers is collecting the equipment which will then be shipped out to the Polish Red Cross, which will in turn send it onto Ukrainian hospitals.

The volunteers, who are mainly based in Glanmire, have set up Crutches4Ukraine in response to the daily images in the media of injured people in that war-torn country. They are collecting ‘mobility devices’ such as crutches, walking aids, wheelchairs, medical support boots and splints and intend to send them to Ukraine in mid-June.

Former senator John Gilroy, who is heading up the group, said every house in the country has crutches or other mobility aids lying around.

“There is no facility in the HSE by which crutches can be returned and it seems a shame that these perfectly good devices should remain unused. We are sending them to where they are needed,” Mr Gilroy said.

The volunteers have already established storage facilities at the nearby Tivoli container terminal and are being supported in their efforts by shipping company Eucon Ltd.

A collection point for the equipment has been established at Ryan’s SuperValu in Glanmire, with other collection points to be identified in the coming days.

The initiative is supported by the National Ambulance Service Engagement Team in conjunction with Community First Responders from around the county.

John Barry of Bus Workers’ Charity Fund has volunteered to organise transport of the devices to the Polish town of Cieszanow, which is about 20km from the Ukrainian border.

The Polish Red Cross will use established networks to deliver mobility aids to hospitals in Ukraine.

“Our committee members Eleanor O’Kelly-Lynch and Ger Moloney have ensured that most of the elements are in place. Storage and shipping have been arranged, but there will be a lot of work involved in collecting the devices. We are starting with Cork and if it proves to be successful, as we suspect it will, we will roll it out to further areas around the country,” Mr Gilroy said.

While this is a fully voluntary effort, there are costs involved in getting the equipment to where it is needed.

“We plan to send a full container to Ukraine. Shipping costs alone run to nearly €3,000, while fuel costs add another €2,500. When we add in local taxes and tolls, each container costs about €6,000 to get to where it is needed. To offset these costs, we have set up a GoFundMe page at Facebook Crutches4Ukraine and we hope that the wider community will support us,” Mr Gilroy said.

The initial target is to send 1,000 pairs of crutches, 500 walking aids, and 100 wheelchairs to the people of Ukraine.

Mr Gilroy pointed out that only devices that are in perfect condition can be accepted.

“When we receive the devices they are cleaned, checked, and wrapped in advance of shipping. We are obviously asking people who may have unused devices in their homes to contact us, but we’re also seeking volunteers who might be interested in setting up collection points in their local areas,” Mr Gilroy said.

Further details can be obtained from John Gilroy at [e-mail] or on the volunteers’ Facebook page Crutches4Ukraine.