When Dr Anita Clerke first offered to help teach hand therapy to those helping wounded Ukrainians, she had no idea it would lead to a journey that would profoundly touch both her life and the lives of countless others. As she shares her story with me, her warmth and genuine concern for the people she met shine through every word.

Healing Hands in Ukraine

A hand therapist with over 30 years’ experience, Anita’s path to Ukraine started with what seemed a straightforward offer to help. “They were so enthusiastic that I couldn’t turn them down,” she tells me, laughing as she recalls how quickly her simple offer transformed into concrete plans.

The reality on the ground was confronting. Working in neurophysiological hospitals across Ukraine, Anita encountered devastating injuries – complex head trauma, amputations, wounds that would challenge even the most experienced therapists. But what struck me most as she spoke wasn’t just the medical challenges – it was the profound human connections she formed.

Many of the therapists she worked with were at the start of their careers, practising a profession that only formally began in Ukraine in 2019. You can hear the pride in Anita’s voice as she describes their dedication and eagerness to learn. She wasn’t just teaching technical skills – she was helping build confidence, showing them how to see the whole person beyond the immediate injury.

The ingenuity required was remarkable. When standard medical supplies weren’t available, they got creative – felt instead of leather, hat elastic instead of medical-grade materials. “Stationery stores became my best friend,” Anita shares with a characteristically practical Australian approach to problem-solving.

What truly touched her were the medical student interpreters who volunteered their time, often travelling to different towns at their own expense. They’d stay extra days just to learn more, their enthusiasm infectious. As she describes these “young, inspiring people,” you can hear how moved she was by their commitment.

Dr Anita teaching Ukrainian therapists

The backdrop to all this was the constant reality of war. Air raid alerts, checkpoints, and the heartbreaking stories of soldiers and civilians created a sobering context for the medical training. “Life looks normal on the surface,” Anita explains, “but underneath you’d hear ‘I haven’t heard from my son in three weeks’ or ‘I’m afraid my husband will be called up.'”

Yet amid this reality, Anita found moments of profound connection. She continues to support Ukrainian medical professionals through regular Zoom sessions, coordinating specialised lectures, and helping secure essential equipment. The needs are basic but crucial – from rubber bands for hand exercises to sewing machines for pressure garments.

“Ukrainians are really keen to learn,” she tells me, emphasising how meaningful it is for them to know that professionals from across the world care about their situation. Her voice carries both concern and hope as she describes the ongoing challenges they face.

As our conversation draws to a close, Anita shares that she’s still actively involved, organising online sessions and connecting Ukrainian medical professionals with specialists. She’s particularly keen to hear from professionals with expertise in head injuries and concussion syndrome: areas where the need for current, evidence-based practices is acute.

What stays with me after our conversation is not just the scale of the medical challenges in Ukraine, but the profound impact that individual connection and support can have. Through Anita’s story, we see how professional expertise, combined with genuine compassion, can bridge divides and bring hope in the most challenging circumstances.

For those inspired to help, Anita emphasises that support can take many forms. Whether it’s sharing professional expertise through online sessions or contributing to essential medical supplies, every bit of support matters. As she puts it, even just having a better understanding of what’s happening and why it’s happening shows Ukrainians they’re not forgotten.

Her experience reminds us that in times of crisis, it’s often the simple human connections – the sharing of knowledge, the moments of understanding, the practical problem-solving – that create the most lasting impact. It’s a powerful testament to how medical expertise, coupled with genuine care, can make a real difference in lives touched by conflict.

To donate to more programs like this or to provide medical aid and equipment

To get in touch with Dr Anita and contribute to her hand therapy teaching programs (rehab therapists, OT’s, orthopaedic surgeons etc. ) via zoom or providing materials email us at opt@passingthrough.net

To enquire about participating in trips to Ukraine to share your skills in your area of health, fill out this form and someone will contact you.