Social Issues

Taras Khaba on volunteering to send medical aid to Ukraine

Physician Taras Khaba, who escaped Ukraine with his family after Russia's full-out invasion, describes joining the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America to offer support in the midst of war.

By Aditi Debnath | Here & Now

March 7, 2023

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Taras Khaba, M.D.:
First time when we came to the US, doc told me, "I know how to help you", because I didn't feel very well so at that time. And he told me, "I know how to help you, how help to your country and let's become volunteers." So I was confused. I didn't know what I should to do. I didn't know what does it mean to be a volunteer. So then we, me and my wife, Ulyana and my sister-in-law, we are Ukraine. So we become a members of UMANA. It's a big medical organization, Ukrainian medical organization of North America. And I became a Rotarians. So, and when 11 months passed, so now we are working with biggest volunteers organization in the US like Rotarian, UMANA. Like help Heroes for Ukraine, like Be an Angel. We are worried not only about medical equipments, we are talking about working with generators. We sometimes, around the table, we are talking about biggest project like ambulances and all those projects. So, to be volunteers means, it's like a science, big science to be volunteers. So that's difficult way, but I'm happy. That's useful for me and to be useful for my country, for my people, for Ukraine, yeah. I'm happy to do that. Yeah.



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