CLEVELAND — As the crisis of the war in Ukraine continues to unfold, there have been helpers giving aid where they can, and Allison Busser is one of them.
What You Need To Know
- MedWish International is a Cleveland-based organization that is working with long-time partners in Ukraine to offer humanitarian aid in the form of medical supplies and equipment
- MedWish and its sister organization, MedWorks, are hosting a supply drive for Ukraine
- Items such as baby/cleansing wipes, individual first aid kits, crutches and burn dressings are high on the list of needed supplies
“We know that this is a horrible situation and that there’s a lot of uncertainty," she said.
Busser has been the Director of Development at MedWish International since December.
“I feel very strongly about making a difference and doing meaningful work, and when I learned about MedWish, it was just the perfect fit," said Busser.
On top of handling day-to-day operations, her team is working to support the people of Ukraine who are impacted by the war.
According to the United Nations, two million Ukrainians have fled the country in the last two weeks and that number is expected to grow.
“People are walking long distances,” said Busser. “They have blisters, broken bones. They’re walking in the cold.”
For nearly 30 years, MedWish has offered humanitarian aid by shipping repurposed medical supplies and equipment to more than 100 countries.
In 2021, the nonprofit said it shipped 431,000 pounds of supplies to help nearly two million people around the world.
The organization is working with longtime partners, like Brook of Hope, Cleveland Maidan Association and the Safari Club International for Kharkiv Hospital to fulfill wish lists of what’s needed most in Ukraine.
"So, a lot of what they need is wound care items,” said Busser. “A lot of people left things behind and don’t have access to their hygiene supplies, shampoo, toothbrushes.”
Busser said the need for volunteers, supply donations and financial support is critical.
Last week, nearly 6,000 pounds of medical equipment and supplies were sent to Ukraine and neighboring Poland to support refugees.
MedWish and its sister organization, MedWorks, had a supply drive for Ukraine and the goal is to hold more throughout the community as the conflict continues.
“We know that this isn’t going to be an overnight issue. We know that this may go on for months at a time and we look forward to responding to the need as long as we can," said Busser.
The supply drive is continued March 13 until 2 p.m. at University Hospitals Customer Service Center located at 20800 Harvard Rd. Highland Hills.
Items such as baby/cleansing wipes, individual first aid kits, crutches and burn dressings are high on the list of needed supplies.