A group of Ukrainian doctors living in Ireland have hailed the "incredible" support of the Irish people in raising funds for vital medical supplies for Ukraine.
The seven medics, whose roles vary from GPs to oncologists and paediatricians, set up Medical Help Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
The campaign aims to gather donations and funding to send medical aid to Ukraine where many hospitals are in desperate need of emergency supplies.
Some €560,000 has already been raised in just over a week, with donations of supplies and logistical help also pouring in from Irish companies.
Dr Kateryna Kachurets, a GP in south Dublin, said she is "humbled" by the response so far, with several tonnes of medical aid having already arrived safely in Ukraine.
"We're so humbled with the support that we're getting from the Irish people," she told the Irish Mirror.
"The outpouring of support and love for my country and people is very humbling and in this hour of need, it's incredible how the Irish people stand by our side.
"We're all doctors here, we've all been practising here for 15 to 20 years, Ireland is now our home and we really appreciate that in this hour of need we feel supported."
Dr Kachurets outlined how she and her colleagues launched Medical Help Ukraine in the days after the Russian invasion as hospitals there are "really struggling" as the war rages on.
"In response to the invasion that happened two weeks ago, we launched this campaign and hoped to get surgical and medical supplies and donations for Ukraine to support the healthcare facilities there because they're really struggling," she said.
"The number of casualties is practically overwhelming the Ukrainian system and on top of that, the attacks on infrastructure means there are critically low levels of medical supplies there.
"Hospitals and ambulances are being bombed and destroyed so we are trying to support them as best we can.
"We're closely linking with the Ukrainian Embassy in Ireland and the embassy is facilitating transportation to Ukraine through the Polish border of everything we're getting from Ireland."
The group are also working with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to get feedback on what the country's hospitals urgently need.
"Last week, we shipped two vans and one ambulance stacked full of medical and surgical supplies...everything that they're running low on," Dr Kachurets explained.
"Earlier this week on Monday, two vans went from Dublin to Poland and they have crossed the border to Ukraine already.
"Yesterday, we were joined by a group of volunteers who helped with the pallets here in our warehouse and two vans went to Ukraine last night and hopefully they'll arrive tomorrow morning.
"One of the most amazing things that happened is Ryanair gave us a plane and we stocked it with humanitarian goods and aid last Saturday.
"There were two tonnes of supplies that went to Lublin on the Polish side and the trucks were waiting for the plane there and transported everything to the Ukrainian side on the same day."
The fundraising efforts have been supported by public and private hospitals across Ireland and Dr Kachurets describes it as "incredible" to see how they are working together to help with donations.
One of the challenges facing the group, whose medical backgrounds meant they were already acutely aware of what supplies are needed, was the logistics of actually getting the aid to Ukraine.
One company has been helping the cause by providing use of their warehouses, trucks and cars to assist in the transportation of supplies to the Polish border.
"The first challenge was the logistical issue but we were able to overcome that because amazing people jumped in and helped us," she said.
"Another problem is we didn't have enough people to sort the pallets and boxes of supplies but we have a group of absolutely incredible volunteers that are happy to donate their time.
"We wouldn't have been able to do everything without them."
The next step in the campaign is to use the money raised through the GoFundMe page to purchase medicines, surgical supplies and equipment that Ukrainian hospitals need.
"Not everything can be donated by the Irish companies, so we have to buy some of that equipment, medication and supplies for them," Dr Kachurets said.
"So far, our shipments are donations from people and pharmaceutical companies but the next step is to use the funds from the GoFundMe page to transport things to Ukraine and it will be more targeted this way.
"Different places need different things and we will be in a position to supply them once we have the funds."
People wishing to donate to the Medical Help Ukraine fundraiser can do so here.
