How it all started
February 2022, we watched in horror as Russia invaded Ukraine. We knew we must immediately help in any way possible. Before the founding of No Apathy we were just 2 sisters, myself (Nadia) and Cat, on a mission to provide emergency medical help to the people of Ukraine. Cat has a background in wilderness and improvisational medicine as an EMT. I have a background in emergency and critical care medicine as an RN and an EMT, as well as experience as a nursing instructor. Naturally we wanted to use our skills to help medically. By April we had raised enough funds and gathered enough supplies to head out!
As we landed in Poland, we received a request from the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine to teach first aid, trauma, and rescue skills to Ukrainian civilians who feared they would soon need to put them to use. We began making supply runs from Poland to Ukraine, bringing medical equipment and food, and stopping along the way to provide community courses. The strength and kindness of literally every Ukrainian we interacted with was so starkly different from what one would expected from a country torn by war.
We returned a few months later with more medical supplies and continued to deliver to front line areas and medics working there. One of the civilian groups we were able to help, Wild Animals Ukraine, risks their own lives to rescue animals from areas that are occupied, destroyed, or otherwise unsafe and provides them with veterinary care before relocating them to wild life centers around the world. At the time of our arrival they had everything from donkeys to lions in their care! With air raid sirens in the background, we trained on IFAKs and trauma so they could continue their work. All life is affected by this war and we were so glad to help this group. When we arrived, there had just been a major rocket attack on the area and one lion became so scared he injured himself on his enclosure. I am happy to report that he has been safely relocated to a wild life reserve.
Check back for more updates, keep caring, NO APATHY!
