Ophthalmologists from the Netherlands Give Sight to Caritas Clients

11.05.12
Evidente, a charitable mission of Dutch and Ukrainian Ophthalmologists visited the charitable organization Caritas Ivano-Frankivs’k at the end of April.

For the fourth year in a row Ukraine the Henri Nouwen foundation has funded foreign specialists and young Ukrainian doctors that offer free eye exams to the less fortunate members of society in Africa, Eastern Europe and financed. In two days doctors examined nearly 90 individuals in Ivano-Frankivs’k including: 25 isolated elderly individuals, 35 young mentally disabled individuals and 30 children from disadvantaged families or from families where a parent is working abroad. Some of those examined obtained glasses immediately; others will receive glasses in the next couple of months, made and shipped from Holland.

“When compared to how the foreigners treated their patients, people in Ukraine, especially those judged to be in low socio-economic class, are treated terribly. It is very important for patients to be treated with respect, dignity and care because this is what we are most lacking in our lives, especially as we age.

A great big thank you to you!” said Bohdana Mokra, a Home Care client.

Lyubov Babinchuk, another Caritas client was also grateful for the free eye exam and said: “This was very important for me. I am raising two kids by myself: a daughter and a son who has been disabled since birth. They are often ill and require treatment all the time. I rarely have enough money to attend to my own medical problems.

Thanks to this event and their individual approach to each patient, I was able to obtain two free pairs of glasses, a pair for reading and a pair of sun glasses. I am very grateful for this.”

The Caritas Ivano-Frankivs’k UGCC would like to express their sincerest thanks to the Ukrainian Catholic University who helped bring Evidente, the Dutch ophthalmologists to Ivano-Frankivs’k.

Reference: Caritas Ivano-Frankivs’k was established in 1992. They started by running a soup kitchen and a humanitarian aid distribution point.

Today, Caritas Ivano-Frankivs’k operates projects that: care for terminally ill elderly individuals, teach caregivers how to care for their loved ones, help multi-child families and children and youngsters who have found themselves in difficult situations, care for the mentally disabled, work with children of labour migrants and prevent human trafficking and help its victims. They also run a soup kitchen, humanitarian aid distribution point and organize many events.