Ukrainian medical professionals visit White Bear Lake

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER INTERIM EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — In the cluttered lab deep in the heart of Century College, an “I Stand With Ukraine” sticker adorns a red toolbox as a delegation of Ukrainian visitors gathers around an odd assortment of brightly colored prosthetic limbs. Century professor Joanna Kenton answers questions as a translator follows her words a beat later in Ukrainian.

These five Ukrainian delegates serve essential roles in Ukraine as the nation’s war with Russia enters its second year. This exchange was made possible through the Open World program organized by the Congressional Office of International Leadership (COIL) and Global Minnesota. Normally, these international exchanges are not so dire. But the conditions have made this program into a stepping stone for Ukrainians and Americans who want to do their all to care for those most impacted by the brutality of war.

“Knowing each other on a human level a bit more not only creates learning, but it creates the possibility for innovation and creates the possibility for all of us as a globe to get along a little bit better and support each other,” said Global Minnesota President Phillip Hansen.

The delegation of five included experts on prosthetics and physical therapy as well as health care policymakers. The group included Olena Kulchytska, advisor to the Minister of Social Policy; Yurii Melnyk, physical therapist; Oleksandr Popenko, technologist and prosthetics engineer; Olha Shchehliuk, senior resident of the Rehabilitation Department for Patients with Amputat- ed Limbs; and Iryna Tkach, prosthetist and orthotist technician.

Members of the White Bear Lake Rotary Club hosted the delegates during their stay. Each delegate was invited to share some of their experiences at the Rotary Club meeting.

Melnyk described his patient load increasing from 7-8 people a day to 20 or 30. Shchehliuk described the experience of working as a physician in a military hospital as the occupation set in—in her hospital, a baby was delivered during the bombing and shooting by Russian forces. The hospital was destroyed, and the medical staff had to redistribute to other places where they were needed.

“That’s why we are here. We have a lot of experience, but we want to be better for our patients,” Schchehliuk said.

Russian attacks have targeted many hospitals and medical facilities in Ukraine as a brutal military tactic to weaken morale and display ruthlessness. Thousands of civilians have suffered and been killed since the war began.

“This country is constantly bombarding our cities, they target civilians, they use genocide against people in my country,” Tkach said with the aid of an interpreter. “This is what we have to go through right now. Ukraine currently is fighting not just for its own future but for the future of the entire civilized world. It’s the 21st century, and anti-vessel rockets are not supposed to target civilian houses.”

Each delegate expressed their gratitude for the hospitality of the Rotarians and Minnesotans who have hosted and supported them, and to the many professionals willing to share an open exchange of knowledge. Tkach said through an interpreter that it is a great pleasure to see Ukrainian flags on the houses of Americans.

During their stay, the delegates were able to connect with Dr. Yakov Gradinar, a former Ukrainian who now lives in the Twin Cities and has started the Protez Foundation, an organization that serves Ukrainian soldiers wounded in the war.

“The Ukrainian system is overwhelmed right now,” Gradinar said. “It’s very important for us to help as much as we can and bring people over to show them our support and remind our Americans that war is going on. We cannot forget to support and help as much as we can.”

The White Bear Lake Rotary has hosted homestay guests before through this program, but until now, all of the guests were from Russia. It is a strange twist of fate how the tides have turned—Rotarian Greg Bartz commented on how strange it is to have friends still in Russia while the war rages on.

Century College was an important stop for the group, as it is one of only 12 colleges in the U.S. that have a robust prosthetics and orthotics program. The delegates toured the department and met with faculty and students, asking questions in a mix of English and Ukrainian and taking many photos.

During their stay, the delegates also made connections with some of the other premiere medical facilities in Minnesota. In addition to Century College, they were scheduled to see the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the Limb Lab and Wiggle Your Toes in the Twin Cities and NovaCare Rehabilitation in Crystal.

The hope is that the lines of commu- nication will remain open between these world-class professionals, and that the open exchange will promote progress as both nations fight toward a brighter future.

County will receive funds for community-based mental health care

Washington County will receive $265,157 from the federal government to enhance home and communitybased services for those with mental illness after the county board accepted the grant March 14. The money will be used to pay a dedicated adult mental health coordinator and to purchase a vehicle that will be used to help individuals access services.

The money is to be used to build community-based mental health service infrastructure that responds to the unique needs and circumstances of the community. The funding is being allocated to adult mental health initiative regions by the Minnesota Department of Human Services to enhance, expand or strengthen the program. The grant will be used through March 31, 2024.

Sheriff’s Office receives grant

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will receive $20,000 from the Marathon Community Investment Programs for wellness initiatives, after the county board accepted the grant March 14.

The grant will fund psychoeducation for Sheriff’s Office staff that allows for individual meetings with a clinician in a structured and protected way. The individual sessions will go over stressors of the job that are inherent with the risks associated with the law enforcement profession and provide resources to employees to mitigate and navigate the effects of high levels of stress.

Crack sealing in county set for 2023

Northwest Asphalt & Maintenance will perform crack sealing on various roadways within Washington County this summer after commissioners approved a $259,521 contract with the company March 14. The crack sealing will be done on approximately 32 miles of county roads throughout the county. Work is planned for May.

Crack sealing is maintenance that seals the cracks in road surfaces. This reduces the amount of water that can infiltrate the road base, which reduces freeze-thaw damage. Crack sealing is performed annually within the county.

Northern Environmental Center update

Washington County is building a second Environmental Center to make it easier for residents to reduce waste, reuse and recycle. The facility will be located in Forest Lake near the intersection of Headwaters Parkway and Highway 61. Services at the center will include:

• Hazardous waste and electronics drop-off

• Self-serve recycling

• A free product room

• A co-located yard waste site

• Space for environmental education and activities

The county released a request for bids to acquire building materials in February and will begin construction later this year.