BOSTON (WHDH) - A Brigham & Women’s surgeon is using her first language to help Ukranians treat the wounds of war.
Dr. Nelya Melnitchouk teamed up with Dr. Eric Goralnick — who promotes the “Stop The Bleed” program of teaching ordinary people how to pack a wound or apply a tourniquet — to make a training video in Ukranian.
“As soon as the bombs went off, we started discussing ways to help Ukrainian people and Ukrainian physicians,” Melnitchouk said. “Those are surgeons like me — I don’t see trauma in my life but they have to quickly relearn things they learned in residency to accommodate and treat those trauma victims.”
As Russian forces have continued to attack Ukranian cities, the civilian death toll has soared, with the United Nations estimating at least 900 civilians dead. Melnitchouk said helping to prevent injuries from becoming fatalities is also personal — several of her family members live in Ukraine — and she wanted to use her abilities to help out.
“we feel like our skills are needed there,” Melnitchouk said. “It is hard to be here and watch and know that we can definitely contribute there.”
The videos have already been watched nearly 30,000 times, Melnitchouk said.
“Even if at least one life is saved we will be very happy about that,” she said.
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