Support cancer centers in war-torn Ukraine

A team of oncology practitioners in US and Australia organized Help Ukraine Group (HUG). We connect with cancer care providers in Ukraine and establish a feedback loop, identifying the most pressing needs and finding direct practical solutions.

Please help support projects we are working on, which include:

- providing consumable supplies for radiation therapy, medical oncology, surgery which are in short supply due to the war

- working with hospitals to collect and ship medical supplies

- connecting with oncology vendors to provide hardware/software for Ukrainian cancer centers for more efficient and effective treatment

- organising on-line training courses for Ukrainian cancer care providers

- facilitating training opportunities for Ukrainian female oncology professionals in US/Canada/Europe/Australia

- creating training materials for cancer care providers to support oncology services in Ukraine

- presenting informative sessions on the with cancer care situation in Ukraine at professional meetings (examples include ASTRO2022, AAPM2022, COMP2022, IUPESM WC2022, RSNA2022)

- publishing articles, blogs, recording interviews to disseminate the message for Helping Ukrainian cancer care providers to continue treating in time of war

- collaborating with professional organizations to advocate for supporting Ukrainian cancer caregivers

Recent publications about our work: https://www.advancesradonc.org/article/S2452-1094(22)00133-6/fulltext, https://www.advancesradonc.org/article/S2452-1094(22)00072-0/fulltext.

The capacity of the Ukrainian cancer care system has been severely damaged by the Russian invasion, and it will take years to recover, even if the war were to stop today. It’s imperative that the effective cancer recovery plan in Ukraine is guided by precise coordination between governing bodies, professional organizations, patient organizations, multidisciplinary professionals, and industry. All these efforts start with individuals, and individual power and the will of Ukrainians to fight for their cancer patients is truly inspiring. You don’t have to be Ukrainian to help Ukraine, you just need to be human. Think how you can help Ukraine today. We are humanity of almost 8 billion: together we are strong, we can come together as a community and help the Ukrainian oncology doctors-heroes to win over two evils: the cancer and the war.

All raised funds will support Ukrainian cancer care providers and benefit cancer patients.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting Ukraine and supporting cancer patients in Ukraine.

HUG members

• Nataliya Kovalchuk - radiation therapy physicist, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

• Nelya Melnitchouk - surgeon, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, founder of Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA)

• Andriy Beznosenko - the President of the Ukrainian Society of Medical Oncology, Medical Chief Officer at National Cancer Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine

• Ruslan Zelinskyi - the President of Ukrainian Association of Medical Physicists, chief physicist at Spizhenko Clinic, Kyiv, Ukraine

• Viktor Iakovenko - radiation therapy physicist, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

• Natalka Suchowerska – radiation therapy physicist, director of Vector Lab, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

• Oleksandr Sakharenko - counsel of Aretera Public Affairs

• Roman Kowalchuk - radiation oncology resident, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

• Oleh Duda – deputy head of surgery, Lviv Regional Cancer Center, Lviv, Ukraine

• Yuliia Severyn – radiation oncologist, National Specialized Children’s Hospital OKHMATDYT

• Andriy Hanych – radiation oncologist, Mariupol Cancer Dispensary

• Serhii Brovchuk – radiation therapy physicist, Kyiv Regional Cancer Center