COLORADO SPRINGS — In between her classes and studies to become an Anesthesiologist, Bre Stafford is dedicating her time to help those suffering through the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
"I think it's important not to just help people that are in your backyard, but to help the people that you can that are in crisis," said Stafford.
The third-year medical student at Colorado University is currently studying at Memorial North Hospital in Colorado Springs.
Her best friend, Joanna Rak, is finishing her medical degree in Poland and opened her apartment doors to Ukrainian refugees when thousands were crossing the border to flee the war.
Stafford says when she hear the first-hand accounts of what was happening overseas, she felt compelled to help in any way she could.
"It speaks volumes to how fortunate we are as a country to have all of this medical supply in excess that can be sent over to people that are in need."
Stafford is coordinating with NOVA Ukraine, a nonprofit specializing in humanitarian efforts, to get a cargo plane to Colorado and deliver the basement-full of medical supplies she has been given and gathering over to Ukrainians in need.
"We are doing what we can, we don't sleep much, but we want to help as much as we can and we want to help in a way that is impactful and it is very clear that the medical help, these life-saving supplies, are very important," said the Director of NOVA Ukraine, Igor Markov.
After posting fliers and spreading the word, Stafford has received donations from hospitals, strangers, and other organizations.
"I mean its been very heartwarming and uplifting to see how quickly everyone came together. I wasn't really sure how this was going cause... You feel so small and like -How am I going to be able to get this started?"
Stafford says, as medical supplies and donations continue trickling in, they need help with storage and transporting all of donations.
If you would like to help or donate medical supplies, you can find a list of items needed by scanning the QR code in the flyer below and contact Stafford at breanna.stafford@cuanschutz.edu
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