SickKids hospital welcomes 3 more Ukrainian cancer patients to Toronto
Posted March 25, 2022 9:28 am.
More Ukrainian paediatric cancer patients have arrived at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) after their treatment was interrupted by the war in Ukraine.
SickKids says they are now caring for five Ukrainian children — with three kids and their families arriving this week and two others having arrived earlier this month.
“I think it’s important to recognize that SickKids is one of many, many international organizations working to ensure paediatric cancer patients from Ukraine are able to access the right care in the right place,” says Dr. Sumit Gupta, staff oncologist at the hosptal.
Three patients with cancer and their families from Ukraine arrived safely in Toronto yesterday. Over the coming days, the patients will undergo initial assessments with SickKids clinical teams to put care plans into place. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/Gy9pdU71Pn
— The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) (@SickKidsNews) March 24, 2022
Gupta was on the plane with the children and says accepting the patients would be impossible if not for the work of clinical teams in Europe who work to help stabilize and evacuate the children.
“The work of the teams in Poland and Ukraine is truly amazing, as they juggle logistics, medical complexity, and immense psychosocial needs,” Gupta said. “Ukrainian children in need of immediate treatment or stabilization are mainly taken in by Polish hospitals whose willingness to care for these children is inspiring.”
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Earlier this week, SickKids said the patients have completed clinical assessments to determine treatment plans and said the first two pediatric cancer patients and their families, who arrived in Toronto on March 16, are “settling in and pleased to be in Canada.”
The hospital has also reached out to other children’s hospitals in Canada to get pediatric cancer patients treated as soon as possible.
SickKids has a Ukrainian Paediatric Assistance Fund that accepts financial donations to support patients and families. Contributions will assist the patients and their families with non-medical expenses — such as food and transportation.
More than 3.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began more than one month ago.
Ukraine’s ombudsperson said Thursday that 402,000 people, including 84,000 children, have been taken to Russia, where some have reported shortages of food and water.