SHRINERS AID HEROIC UKRAINE BURN VICTIM

Art Ukraine Newsletter ^ | 3/26/05 | By Stephen Smith

[Calpernia]

She is a national hero in her homeland, hailed for plucking her little sister from their family home as it was consumed by flames. Now, Nastya Ovchar, her body burned extensively during the rescue of her sister, lies in a room at Shriners Burns Hospital Boston, half a world away from her home in the Ukraine.

If they made a movie about Nastya, they could well call it ''The President and the Little Girl," for it was the intervention of a national leader who had endured his own share of physical suffering that assured the 5-year- old could receive lifesaving medical treatment.

On March 15 fire erupted in a home in the Ukraine's Kharkiv region, which sits on the border with Russia. Nastya and her 2-year-old sister, Lyuda, were in the house by themselves. Nastya saved her sister from the fire; in the process, she sustained burns over 80 percent of her body, according to an Associated Press report from Kiev. Lyuda suffered comparatively minor injuries.

Tales of the rescue swiftly captured the attention of Ukrainians. That nation's newly installed president, Viktor Yushchenko, extended his assistance to Nastya. Yushchenko confronted pain and disfigurement last year, when he was poisoned during his campaign for president.

''Mr. Yushchenko always supported very young people. Children are the future of our country," said Iryna Bezverkha, press secretary of the Ukraine Embassy in Washington. ''This is a really inspiring story."

At first, Yushchenko, who spoke directly with Nastya, and his associates sought treatment in the Ukraine for the child. ''Unfortunately," Bezverkha said last night, ''these efforts were not enough for this little girl."

So the president, Ukraine lawmakers, and Yushchenko's wife banded together to secure treatment for Nastya outside their nation. "And they found Shriners," said Kathy Golden, spokeswoman for the Boston hospital. The Ukraine government arranged for the child to be flown to Boston, and she arrived Thursday night. The Shriners provide care free of charge at all of their hospitals.

Golden said privacy rules prevented her from releasing details of Nastya's condition, or even officially confirming her name, but she acknowledged that ''typically children with burns have many months of treatment."

The president intends to follow Nastya's recovery intently, the embassy spokeswoman said. Golden said, ''They've been keenly interested in her care, because they really see her as a hero."

[Calpernia]

THE PRESIDENT AND THE LITTLE GIRL

"She is a national hero in her homeland, hailed for plucking her little sister from their family home as it was consumed by flames. Now, Nastya Ovchar, her body burned extensively during the rescue of her sister, lies in a room at Shriners Burns Hospital Boston, half a world away from her home in the Ukraine.

If they made a movie about Nastya, they could well call it ''The President and the Little Girl," for it was the intervention of a national leader who had endured his own share of physical suffering that assured the 5-year-old could receive lifesaving medical treatment."

[Calpernia]

YOUNG BURN VICTIM IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE FOR URGENT
TREATMENT IN BOSTON

Embassy of Ukraine, Washington, D.C, Friday, March 25, 2005

WASHINGTON - 5-year old Nastya Vivchar who saved the life of her 2-year old sister and badly burned more than 80% of her skin, now needs an urgent treatment. Currently, Nastya is on her way to the Hospital in Boston, MA where she is supposed to undergo several skin transplantation surgeries. Nastya will stay in Boston for several months.

Ukrainian diplomats urge all Ukrainians of the United States of America to open their hearts and provide an adequate financial assistance to this brave Ukrainian girl.

The Embassy of Ukraine to the United States expresses its deep appreciation to the Ukrainian National Women's League of America and particularly to its President Mrs. Iryna Kurowyckyj for providing its account to transfer money for Nastya Vivchar's treatment. Please, send checks with the reference "Nastya Vivchar" to the following address:

UNWLA. INC, 203 Second Ave., New York, NY 10003

[Calpernia]

A SMALL TINY FOLK-HERO, 5-YEAR OLD NASTIU OVCHAR

News Report By Lubomyr Onyshkevych
Lawrenceville, New Jersey, Sat, March 26, 2005

This is about a small tiny folk-hero, namely about the 5-year old little Nastiu Ovchar, who rescued her 3-year old sister from fire, sustaining in the process 80% burns over her body.

The Ovchars live in the village of Vorontsovka in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. You can't find that place on a map -- there are 10 houses, no telephone, nor gas, nor roads. Nastia & her sister were alone in the house when it caught fire, from unknown sources. She at first tried to put the fire out, but it was hopeless & she grabbed her sister and fled. In the process she was very badly burned.

Their father jumped on a horse and run to the nearest telephone, 6 km away. The first aid squad came very quickly, took the girl and carried her to Kharkiv. But there was no special facilities there, not even a special bed for burn victims. They gave her a blood transfusion and that is all.

The weather was bad, so they could not fly her to Kyiv, so they took her in a car. In Kyiv there was the right bed here & special doctors. The minister of Medicine of Ukraine brought her oranges, which she had never seen in her life.

But, after 3 operations, it became clear that in Kyiv she can not get the proper skin grafts. They tried to take her to Germany, but German govern- ment wanted 250,000 euros for one week of treatment. A hospital in Boston offered to do it for free.

But now they needed an airplane with proper facilities. President & Katerine Yuschenko used all their influence to find one. Finally, they located a VIP plane that was chartered to fly the president of Rumania; they were able to borrow it.

The plane arrived to the Boryspil airport (from Zurich), Nastia was loaded & they flew to Boston via Lugano, Switzerland, where they were mobbed by reporters -- it seems that the story became big news in Europe, as it was in Ukraine. Finally Nastia arrived in her hospital.

The whole set of arrangements (visas, passports, etc) was accomplished in record time (less than a day!) due to arm-twisting by Katerine Yuschenko. Nastia is accompanied by her mother & 3 Ukrainian doctors.

[Calpernia]

More stories on that sweet 5yo that saved her sister.

[LongElegantLegs]

In other news, her parent/s have been beaten severely for leaving a five year-old in charge of a two year-old.

I hope she recovers swiftly.

[Calpernia]

>>>>In other news, her parent/s have been beaten severely for leaving a five year-old in charge of a two year-old.

Different culture.

[LongElegantLegs]

Same stupidity. They're lucky either of them are alive.

[Calpernia]

In these minutes Americans rescue life of Nastya Ovchar Little Ukrainian heroine, who saved the sister from a fire, Nastya Ovchar from Kharkov prepares to operation which will begin in 15:00 (Kiev time) in the Boston burn center.

According to the report of the General consulate of Ukraine in New York, on March, 24 in 21:30 of local time (March, 25, 04:30 of Kiev time), the airplane arrived to Boston (state Massachusetts) with Anastasia Ovchar, suffered from fire, and retinue on board.

The deputy chief of the press-service of MFA of Ukraine Dmitry Svistkov reported that on arrival the child had been directed to the clinic «Shrines» by the special ambulance. According to estimation of specialists, the girl survived the flight to Boston normally.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Shriners do some amazing things. My dad was in the Lodge in 1950s Japan. They adopted an orphanage of unpopular people--the parents and grandparents of Japanese war dead who had no other support.

[Calpernia]

Original Thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1370499/posts
SERIOUSLY BURNED GIRL FLOWN TO THE UNITED STATES

[LongElegantLegs]

Yes, Shriners are amazing. My Grandfather was one, and they do alot of great things.

[Nip]

While the article says that she might have several months of hospital time I wouldn’t bet on it.

Last year my Lodge was informed that the Shriners were closing a couple of their burn hospitals. It wasn’t a money issue even though several of us were reaching for our wallets. It turns out that the treatments for burns have advanced to the point that most of the victims take about 1/3 of the time they took 10 years ago. I hope she is as lucky.

For those who don’t know, the Freemasons also support heart research, juvenile spinal cord research, diabetes research, and a host of other medical related projects. I know because I am one.

TB1Ask1 - it is the second best question a man can ask.

[Mogger]

Yes, Shriners are amazing. My Grandfather was one, and they do alot of great things.

Yes we do. Now it's time for you to become one (if you happen to be male, if not, get your hubby going, you will be his female counterpart).

The first step is to seek out a local Mason and become one.

After becoming a Mason, you can join the Shriners and help the burn and orthopedic hospitals.

This is one of many traditional and historical organizations that has had declining membership due to distractions such as sitcoms, etc.

Without your help, the Shriners Hospitals will cease to exist.

Then guess what? Hillary will want the Government to take over.

[St.Mark]

Thank God for the Masons and the Shrine. I am a Mason and a Shriner here in Denver and all I can say is we need more members to help poor children like this little russian girl may God bless her!

[nw_arizona_granny]

It is good that we could help this child.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Don't take her to Florida; they'll kill her.

[LongElegantLegs]

I didn't realize the Shriners took just anyone; I think Mr. Legs might love that; He recently finished a stint in the Marines, and really misses have a platoon full of buddies.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but do the Masons allow non-whites to join? I was under the impression that it was a private, exclusive kind of thing, that you had to be invited to join. Also, we're pretty young, is that allowed?

[TheLion]

Masonic thread ping!

Glad the Shriners were able to help. This is good for everyone.

[Lauratealeaf]

Don't take her to Florida; they'll kill her.

That is the truth. When my cousin was five years old she was playing with matches and her frilly little dress caught on fire. (we all wore dresses back then)

She sustained third degree burns over ninety percent of her body. They had to feed her with a feeding tube for over a year so her body could heal.

She was in the hospital for over two years but she had a wonderful doctor and skin grafting and survived to grow up, marry and have two children.

She also had to have massive blood transfusions and since my uncle was in the military all of his buddies at the post donated blood. The great Guy Williams who played Zorro on tv came to see her.

I have been thinking about my cousin during these past few days and talked to her the other day. She is devastated that they are killing Terri Schiavo and doesn't think that she would survive today.

[Happygal]

Oh, this wee little girl.

If ever a child needed a prayer bump! this is it.

Sacred Heart of Jesus help this wee infant lass.