On Wednesday, May 21, the premises of the Consultative and Diagnostic Polyclinic Okhmatdyt were crowded.
One of the departments, namely the 2nd pediatric department, located on the 5th floor of the capital’s medical institution was renovated with funds from the Surkis Brothers Foundation and FC Dynamo Kyiv.
Project to restore part of the Okhmatdyt polyclinic
After enemy missile hit one of the buildings of Okhmatdyt, thousands of Ukrainians joined in raising funds to restore the destroyed ward. At the time of evacuation, all patients and staff were temporarily placed in another ward – the 2nd pediatric ward, which was in critical technical and sanitary condition.
The administration of Okhmatdyt addressed FC Dynamo Kyiv with a request not to duplicate the efforts of the general fundraiser, but to help where the situation was most acute and required urgent intervention.
The club responded immediately, deciding not to formally support, but to have a real impact – to create modern conditions for the treatment of children who are already here. Thus, a complete renovation of part of the consultative and diagnostic polyclinic, where evacuated patients were temporarily accommodated, was initiated.
What exactly was restored
As part of a large-scale renovation project, a comprehensive update of part of the polyclinic was implemented, which includes:
• parts of the 1st and 2nd pediatric departments,
• offices for patients with epidermolysis bullosa,
• part of the Center for orphan diseases.
• A total of 13 specialized offices were modernized, including:
• 2 dermatovenerologist offices
• 3 pediatric allergist offices
• pediatric nephrologist and pulmonologist offices
• dermatoscopy and allergy testing offices
• 2 epidermolysis bullosa offices
• 2 offices of the Center for orphan diseases
The opening ceremony of the department was attended by distinguished guests – UEFA honorary member Hryhorii Surkis, FC Dynamo Kyiv president Ihor Surkis and the head coach of the team Oleksandr Shovkovskyi. The management of the polyclinic and the doctors of the department gave them a brief tour of the offices, which will be ready to receive patients – both children and adults – starting tomorrow.
Hryhorii SURKIS, UEFA honorary member:
- It so happened that when we started raising funds to restore the damaged building of Okhmatdyt, the management of the medical institution asked us to join in the restoration of this particular department of the polyclinic. We signed a Memorandum, and it actually turned out to be two in one. In fact, it’s very easy to just funds, waiting for someone to build something. Now we see the work that has been done at Okhmatdyt in nine months. In my opinion, this is not even gratitude to us, but care, responsibility and solidarity with those children who need quality treatment today. And not to wait nine months for the project to be drawn up, and then years more until this building is rebuilt. The same people to whom we entrusted the funds and the project, which was agreed upon with the management, did everything in their power so that we could cut the ribbon today. This is the answer to all the questions "why?" – because, in my opinion, we need to take everything into our own hands and, together with the builders, do the work that has found a response from the doctors at our own expense. And everything that the management tells us to complete by today, we will definitely do.
As part of the assistance provided to Okhmatdyt after the missile hit, we were also approached by the management of the Cancer Institute, which received little boys and girls from the destroyed building. They asked us to repair the reception department, which we did in a short time. Today, there is a wonderful repair there, and this gives us a reason to be proud that we are joining this. Not even so much to be proud, but to be happy that these children can now receive quality treatment in normal institutions.
Also, the Surkis Brothers Foundation, together with the FC, actually built the new outpatient clinic in Hurivshchyna, Buchanskyi district. This is the first outpatient clinic equipped with modern equipment. That is, we, together with the club, with our guys, are doing this at our own expense, no one is forcing us to do this. We just want this war to finally end and we can live in a happy country, rebuild it together, and our guys from Dynamo would give new emotions to the fans, and it would be a breath of fresh air even now, during this terrible war.
Oleksandr SHOVKOVSKYI, Dynamo head coach:
- Everything that happens in our country leaves a big mark on feelings, on emotions. And every time we see the consequences of the aggressor’s actions against our country, it causes wild indignation about this situation. Everyone has individual negative emotions about this, because they are not only from Kyiv, but represent different regions of our country. There are victims here, there, in that city, in that district...
I know that the help doesn’t end, but it’s spot-on. Like, for example, what our leadership is doing and has already done here, of course. Although this is just one of those projects for which the Surkis brothers and their foundation have taken responsibility. And they, as Hryhorii Surkis said, take responsibility and do it. It would be possible to go in different ways, but this is wrong. We cannot consume happiness if we do not recreate it. And it is precisely such an initiative that should be an example for everyone.
And the guys, of course, when they go out onto the football field, they want to give emotions to the fans, to our people, which is what is lacking in our country now. And any initiative should be a positive example for everyone – I completely agree with Hryhorii Surkis on this. The guys also make their donations with great pleasure, so that at every moment, stage, direction we do something to improve people’s lives.
Oleksandr URIN, head of Okhmatdyt reorganization commission
- The first thing I want to say is that in the almost 30 years that have passed since our clinic was attached to Okhmatdyt, no renovation work had been carried out here. One of the stages of restoration is currently underway, and thanks to the Surkis Brothers Foundation, renovation works have been carried out on an area of approximately 500 square meters, which includes 13-15 hospital rooms and the decoration of corridors, bathrooms, etc. This is a room where children with orphan diseases will be admitted, as well as rooms for epidermolysis bullosa. Dermatologists can now provide all the necessary assistance in pleasant comfortable conditions. Allergy center has also been created here, where children with various allergic diseases can go and receive quality assistance from specialists.
Frankly speaking, we don’t count how many patients we can admit daily. But you can be sure that we will admit everyone who needs it. For example, we will have almost the only epidermolysis bullosa rooms in Ukraine, so we will accept both children and adults with similar problems. Our center for orphan diseases is also a referral center, so all the most difficult patients will come to us. Thanks to the help of the Surkis Brothers Foundation, we can now do this in comfortable conditions.
We hope that our cooperation will continue. As you understand, a memorandum is not some signed contract, but an agreement on cooperation in the future. We need to report to the foundation how these premises are used and that really high-quality care is provided here. We are already discussing clear nuances now – so we will restore our clinic as a whole. We still have a lot that needs improvement (smiling).
And the most important thing that should be noted. This is not just a renovation of one of the medical departments or charity. This is a manifestation of solidarity, responsibility and care for those who need help today. Children with complex and rare diseases are treated here every day. FC Dynamo Kyiv and Surkis Brothers Foundation are proud to have created for them decent, safe and functional conditions that match the level of Okhmatdyt.
