A Ukrainian mother has spoken of her extraordinary journey from fleeing war in her own country to giving birth here in Nottingham. Lesia Husar, 41, gave birth to baby Richard on Sunday, June 12, having travelled over 1,200 miles from her home of Chernivsti, Ukraine, to escape the 'daily fear of bombings.'
After first heading to Romania, a pregnant Lesia, along with her 14-year-old daughter Renatta, flew to the UK where she was welcomed by a host family in Woodthorpe - and was moved to see that the family had stacked her room with supplies in anticipation for the arrival of her baby. This included a pram, cot and clothes for baby Richard.
Along with the pressures of the long distance travelling while also pregnant, Lesia also had to do this without her husband Taras, 41, who decided to stay and fight in the war as a voluntary policeman. A former policeman, Taras felt that it was an important duty to carry out as he himself was wounded while fighting Russian forces in 2014. Taras also lost some friends in the fighting eight years ago.
