Northbrook pulmonologist prepares to head to Poland, Ukraine border to help refugees
CHICAGO (CBS) – This weekend a local doctor will be trading the northern suburbs of Chicago for the border of Poland and Ukraine. He's stepping up to help refugees fresh from the war-torn country.
As CBS2's Chris Tye reports, the pandemic helped reshape some thinking that led to this decision.
"You see these images night after night of what's going on, everyone wants to help in the ways that they can."
And the way Pulmonary and Critical Care Dr. Jeremy Topin has decided to help — is to head there.
"As word has gotten out, more and more people have donated supplies. We started with 4 bags of meds and toys and now we have 11," he said.
These bags, a nurse practitioner friend, and the Northbrook resident leave Saturday.
They'll fly to Krakow and then make the three-hour drive to the Polish town of Medyka on the Ukrainian border where they'll take on patients for the next seven days.
Chris: What do you expect a day in the life to be like? Who do you expect to be treating? What kind of conditions do you expect patients to be in?
Jeremy: Really Anyone who needs medical attention in the refugee community that sort of popped up there, a lot of women and lot of children for the most part.
"I'm open to whatever comes my way and whatever needs done," Topin said.
These are Ukrainian women and children helped by other doctors from Chicago that have made similar journeys.
Through the pandemic, Dr. Topin was the only critical care doctor at a hospital in downstate Mattoon, IL — south of Champaign.
As COVID cases have cooled, he's warmed up to the idea of offering up care in different ways.
"Everybody's looking a little bit at this respite on how to recharge or how to refuel. And this just felt important. To do something a little more than donate money. I have this opportunity and it will be a shame can take advantage of the privilege that I have to take time off and the means to get there.
The group that's facilitating the trip is a French/Israeli group named "Rescuers without borders."
If you would like to learn more about the cause or to donate, visit the link here.
