On August 26, the charity event “The Front We Hold” took place in the Metropolitan Gardens of St. George’s Cathedral in Lviv in support of the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region. Archbishop and Metropolitan of Philadelphia Borys Gudziak attended the event.
The event aimed to raise UAH 5 million for a medical air supply system for the Center’s operating rooms and intensive care unit. The system will help ensure the uninterrupted operation of the surgical suites and a stable supply of medical air for intensive care. It is designed for continuous operation and is equipped with a backup compressor unit.
Addressing military medical personnel, benefactors, and guests, Metropolitan Borys thanked the doctors for their dedicated service and emphasized the vital importance of their work, particularly during the war. “During these years of full-scale war, I have had the opportunity to visit your hospital several times and witness your service. Anyone who finds themselves in the hands of medical professionals understands how delicate this work is and how vital it is to human life. In wartime, its importance cannot be overstated.”
The Metropolitan also shared a personal memory, noting that his brother is a surgeon and that one of his father’s great disappointments was that he did not become a doctor. His father, however, later wholeheartedly supported his priestly vocation.
“I simply want to thank you for all that you do, for your dedication and professionalism. We pray for our defenders, our government leaders, our doctors, chaplains, benefactors, and donors — for everyone who is holding their post today. May the Lord reward you a hundredfold for your love for others, and may He soon grant the victory of His truth in our land,” the Archbishop said.
Metropolitan Borys also conveyed greetings from the United States and spoke about the prayer, advocacy, and assistance offered in support of Ukraine. “We are working to help approximately 80 million Catholics in the United States maintain a clear and principled stance. We work with their 270 bishops, and there is not a single Catholic bishop who does not understand where good and evil stand, where falsehood ends and truth begins in this war. This work may be quiet and largely behind the scenes, but it is our front: prayer, advocacy, and assistance wherever we are able to provide it.”
According to the Metropolitan, Ukraine is now at the epicenter of a global struggle for democracy, God-given human dignity, and freedom of conscience. “You are among those safeguarding a future that is now under threat. But God’s truth will prevail. Thank you all.”
The charity event was also attended by Archbishop and Metropolitan of Lviv Ihor Vozniak; Auxiliary Bishop of the Lviv Archeparchy Volodymyr Hrutsa; representatives of regional and municipal authorities; military medical personnel; leaders of Lviv’s medical institutions and institutions of higher education; business representatives; and benefactors.
The Military Medical Clinical Center of the Western Region is one of Ukraine’s key military medical institutions. It provides specialized and highly specialized care to service members, veterans, and combatants. Its medical teams perform between 18 and 20 complex surgical procedures each day.
Since 2014, the Center’s medical personnel have performed more than 130,000 surgeries in Lviv, while approximately 200,000 patients have received treatment at the hospital. Ninety percent of the Center’s medical personnel are themselves combat veterans.
Donations toward the purchase of the medical air supply system can be made through the charitable foundation “Foundation for the Support of Military Medicine.”
Source: Lviv Regional Council
