Cataract Operations in Ukraine

Back in early 2023, Brit Valley Rotary Club wanted to find out first hand, what was going on in Ukraine. President Elect (now President) John Clegg, was put in contact with President Elect (now President) Iryna Odytsova, of the Rotary Club of Dnipro Novyi. Their initial contacts involved talking about what was going on in each of their Clubs.

However, it was not long before their discussion turned to what possible help Brit Valley Club could be to Dnipro Novyi Club. Very soon a project took shape. President Iryna was keen to supply cataract operations, not in Dnipro, but in Zaphorizhia which is directly in a war zone in Ukraine. Iryna told John that much of the population of the city had left the area and the majority of those left were elderly and had no wish, or in some cases no ability, to leave the area. A significant number of them had cataracts and one of them told Iryna that they wanted to see the bombs coming down as well as hearing them.

This statement appealed to John and the upshot was that a Project to fund 36 cataract Operations was born. A Hospital in Zaphorizhia would provide the hospital space and the Medical treatment as long as the lenses could be funded. At 269 Euros each John realised that he would need to involve other Clubs to help fund the Project.

Having asked several of the local Rotary Clubs if they would take part, Lyme Regis, Yeo Vale, Yeovil and latterly Chard Rotary Clubs stepped up to the plate, as did a Sight Saving Charity and three individuals. The money raised was transferred in stages and Operations started in January 2024. In early May, all the money had been raised and the completion of the Project has almost been realised.

However, John thought that this should not be the end but merely the beginning of a long term relationship between Brit Valley and Dnipro Novyi. To that end John spoke with President Elect John Riley, who agreed that when he becomes President in July 2024, he wants John to continue working with Iryna promoting Friendship and examining future possible Projects with Dnipro.

Now for the interesting bit. John Riley has gone to Singapore for an International Rotary Meeting. In an exchange of e-mails about the next

phase of cataract Operation implementation between President’s John and Iryna, Iryna told John that she was going to the Meeting in Singapore. John thought it was a good idea to try and get President Elect John and President Iryna to meet in Singapore. The accompanying photograph shows that amongst the 14,000 Candidates they did indeed meet thus firming up the relationship between the two Clubs.

A successful Project just got more successful and Friendship is one of the prime tenets of Rotary.

John Clegg