For Kent State University alumna and current graduate student Lydia Lisowsky, ‘21, and her family, the Russia-Ukraine war is history repeating itself.
Lisowsky, 22, of Broadview Heights, is a second generation Ukrainian American whose grandparents, Ingrid Lydia Nebesh and Eugene Nebesh, fled the country during World War II.
Although Lisowsky has never visited Ukraine, she feels a deep sense of obligation and responsibility to help those who have been injured in the war. Lisowsky recently began a campaign to collect medical supplies on the Kent Campus and in the larger Kent community to send to Ukraine.
“As a Ukrainian American who is safe here in America, I feel I have a duty to help the country that has given me so much brightness and involvement in my life,” said Lisowsky. “I want to use Kent State’s immense student body and our connections with people outside the college to get supplies donated.”
At Kent State, Lisowsky’s collection bins for medical supplies are located in White and Dunbar halls and at the Student Center information desk and the Tri Towers Rotunda. Lisowsky also has plans for students to become involved assembling the medical supplies into individual medical kits on campus after spring break. Lisowsky will model the kits after those created by Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization - USA, in which she holds membership. Plast has been packing medical kits with scouts each week and will arrange delivery of the supplies to Poland and then Ukraine.
Lisowsky’s cousin, Kent State alumnus Paul Jatsyshyn ‘21, is also assisting with the effort.
Kent State is lending a hand
University leaders have worked with Lisowsky to place bins in high traffic areas, enlist assistance from student organizations, arrange a suitable location for kit assembly and engage the Kent community at large in the project.
Lamar R. Hylton, Ph.D., senior vice president for Student Affairs, said it is important for the university community to engage in Lisowsky’s project because it demonstrates how Flashes take care of Flashes, and how Flashes take care of the wider community.
“I hope this project is wide reaching,” Hylton said. “I hope that members of the university and the broader community come together and make this as big as we possibly can and get the needed medical supplies to Ukraine. And I hope we can have an all-hands-on-deck approach to see this through.”
Needed Medical Supplies
Students, faculty and staff can donate the following medical supplies via the collection bins:
- vinyl gloves( large or extra-large)
- bandages (1 inch by 3 inches)
- acetaminophen (500 mg. packets of two caplets)
- surgical dressings/combine pads (large or extra large)
- gauze pads (4 inches by 4 inches)
- gauze rolls (4 inches by 12 feet)
- single use antibiotic ointment (0.9 g pouches)
- butterfly closures (⅜ inch by 1 13/16 inch)
- Self adhesive bandages (2 inches by 5 yards)
Hylton admires Lisowsky’s determination to get this project rolling.
“She has been stellar in making sure this effort happens, and making sure she is connecting with students, administration and the broader community,” he said. “I appreciate her passion for making sure that we can help those in need. I’m really excited to see this project come to fruition.”
And Lisowsky rests a little bit easier knowing that she is helping in the small ways that make a difference.
“It gives me a sense of peace to know that I can have an impact,” she said. “If I can get the student body, faculty and staff involved, it would be amazing to help in this way.”
For more information contact Lisowsky at llisows1@kent.edu or Jatsyshyn at paul.jatsyshyn@gmail.com.
Click here to view Channel 19's coverage of the efforts of Lisowsky and others to help Ukraine.
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