Houston doctors traveling abroad to bring medical supplies to Ukrainian refugees
HOUSTON - A local couple is en route Wednesday night to help Ukrainians in a way that can be very dangerous, but they say they feel compelled to do it.
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Dr. Sameer Gupta, a trauma surgeon, and his wife, Dr. Shalene Amin are head to help.
"When we went to try on some of our armor, it started hitting us then too," Dr. Amin said.
"First and foremost we want to go for humanitarian and just help out and if they do need some medical needs we are more than willing to do primary care stuff that they need or do some trauma if they need help with emergency surgeries, trauma," Dr. Gupta added. "Anything they need us to do, we are there to help."
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It's the calling they say they are drawn to after weeks of seeing and hearing the relentless violence cast upon the most helpless: the children.
"It's sad," Dr. Amin lamented. "I think this is the first time actually talking about it. It is making us both sad. We just want to help….our plan is 2 weeks."
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Two weeks of their vacation time from work, doing possibly more labor than their own jobs. This travel comes with lugging more than 20 bags.
"We have a few hospitals and physicians that have requested certain things, so we have dedicated a bag or two for those individuals based on their needs," Dr. Gupta explained. "The rest of them are a combination of different things people need."
"We have a couple of people in the Ukrainian community in Houston that have family in Ukraine that want to get stuff over, so we are also transporting things to them," Dr. Amin added.
They have been working with Project Cure- a nonprofit that helps with medical equipment shortages around the world. They will probably use the supplies on the battlefield.
"Nothing will fully prepare for, but when you are there of course with the Ukrainian physician and surgeons there, they are going to help us," said Gupta.
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The couple left for Poland earlier today, and they plan to be at the border doing work for a few days before crossing over to Ukraine.
To find out more about Project Cure, and how you can help, visit their website.