Disclaimer: This is sponsored content. All opinions and views are of UCHealth and does not reflect the same of KOAA.
In this Your Healthy Family, as UCHealth is sending medical supplies to Ukraine, I spoke with Natayla Moroz, a medical interpreter for UCHealth in Aurora, who tells me she is especially grateful for the donation of needed medical supplies that are being sent to her home country Ukraine in partnership with Project C.U.R.E.
Here’s our conversation:
Ira: Where are you from?
Natayla: I am from Ukraine.
Ira: How long have you been in the U.S.?
Natayla: I have been here for 25 years.
Ira: As a UCHealth employee, what do you think about this donation to Ukraine from UCHealth and Project C.U.R.E.?
Natayla: I think it’s very important and I’m very thankful to UCHealth and everything that they do to help out somehow. The people in Ukraine - they really need it, they really do. Never in my right mind would I think that me or my children would see a war going on in our country. It’s even worse for me because our countries are like brothers, so it’s hard to believe Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ira: What’s it been like for you watching all of this unfold in your home country from here in Colorado?
Natayla: I try to put it in my mind as a reality - but sometimes it’s very hard, I cannot process, what’s going on. My mom and my dad are still together and they decided not to evacuate; they decided to stay. I talk to them daily as much as possible. I try to do what I can but unfortunately, I cannot do anything physically for them. I cannot go there and try to get them out because probably that’s what they needed. My dad has a grenade and he’s like, ‘Let them come, I am ready for it. I cannot fight but I can protect ourselves.’ It worries me what is going to happen. They are on the west side (of Ukraine) so it’s maybe not as dangerous as up north or on the east side or anywhere by the shore of the Black Sea. Still, it worries me because my dad is blind and my mom has her own health problems.
Ira: What would you like people here in America to know about Ukraine?
Natayla: Ukrainians are very open people, they are generous and they will fight for their country in ways small or big. My neighbors (in Ukraine) went to fight even though some of them are my age or younger or older. They are all going and I’m so proud of my country. Hope it will be a peaceful resolution soon, I’m praying for it because war is not the answer.
Ira: You mentioned you’re surprised that it’s Russia who attacked because they are like a “brother country”. You also speak Russian and Ukrainian. Can you talk about that relationship a little more and why that makes this conflict so surprising?
Natayla: Because we as Ukrainians don’t separate, we used to live together in the same country the Soviet Union. If somebody wants to have their independence, they should be respected, And not just go back to the same old same old let’s get back to the Soviet Union thing. It’s been 30 years since the Soviet Union broke up into different republics and Russia needs to respect the wishes of other countries and other republics. I think that the president of Russia has a different opinion about it.”
Ira: Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective, my best to you and your parents in Ukraine.
Natayla: Thank you so much, I appreciate it.
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