Ukraine Aid
“This has been really terrific for us because it greatly increased our volume of equipment and supplies we send to Ukraine, which has had a tremendous impact,”
Dennis De Santis, Founder
Ukraine Aid
Dennis De Santis has had an impactful career in economic international development, which brought him to work in Ukraine starting in 1992 where he met people that he remains friends with now. When the war in Ukraine broke out in February of 2022, those same friends asked Dennis for assistance with getting supply support to Ukraine. As a result, Dennis created Ukraine Aid as a 501(c)3 to get donations.
Dennis started working with a few hospitals to get supplies, and then, through an acquaintance, learned about MedWish. He immediately looked up MedWish and applied. After going through our vetting process, Ukraine Aid was approved and Dennis started working with Jacob Dzierwa, our International Programs Coordinator. The partnership has resulted in four 40-foot containers of supplies shipped to Ukraine, with the latest one from October 2023 arriving at a hospital in Pavlograd, Ukraine.
“This has been really terrific for us because it greatly increased our volume of equipment and supplies we send to Ukraine, which has had a tremendous impact,” says Dennis. “Each container, which contains five to six tons of supplies, has gone to a different hospital that helps medical staff, everyday Ukrainians, and wounded soldiers.”
This help is greatly needed because a perfect storm, unfortunately, has hit the Ukraine healthcare system. Dennis shared how hundreds of hospitals have been destroyed and millions of people displaced. People aren’t getting treated for their chronic diseases, such as asthma or diabetes, and there’s also been an increase in stress-related diseases. In addition, there are wounded civilians and soldiers, and the hospitals near the front lines are swamped with patients in need.
“MedWish is filling a fantastic void out there by supplying medical equipment,” says Dennis. “We’ve got everything from beds, furniture, gurneys, operating room lights, sanitation materials, to gloves, needles, surgical kits. You name it, it’s been on the list.”
With support from MedWish, Ukraine Aid is able to help with humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in Ukraine.