Welcome to UMANA Ohio Chapter
COMMUNITY NEWS
100th Birthday Celebration
With great pleasure UMANA Ohio would like to wish Mr. Wasyl Liczynesky a very happy 100th birthday on April 11, 2025. Mr. Liczynesky is President Emeritus of the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio who devoted himself for many decades to multitude of causes for the Ukrainian community in the diaspora and in Ukraine. Over the span of decades, he has had positions in many organizations in our great Ohio Ukrainian community.
Happy Birthday and Mnohaya Lita!
Вітаємо з днем народженя!
Бажаємо вам багато благословень у ваш особливий день народження. Дякуємо за ваше керівництво та відданість українській громаді в Огайо а особливо в нашій рідній Украіні.
Многая літа!
UMANA Ohio Member Assumes Leadership of UUOO (UZO)
Dr. George Jaskiw, an active UMANA Ohio member, became President of the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio (UUOO or aka UZO) in 2025. The United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio is an umbrella organization of over 40 Ukrainian organizations, of which UMANA Ohio is also a member. Dr. Jaskiw practices psychiatry at the Cleveland Veteran’s Administration. Dr. Jaskiw has held multiple positions in various community organizations including president/principal of Ridna Shkola and is on the Board of Directors at the Ukrainian Museum-Archives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Congratulations Dr. Jaskiw!
In Loving Memory
It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Anna Barrett on December 20th, 2024. As President of Cleveland Selfreliance Federal Credit Union and treasurer of Fund to Aid Ukraine, Anna was a devoted partner and friend of UMANA Ohio and has directly assisted us in packing medical supplies at multiple packing events, maintaining records of our donations and purchasing medical supplies for Ukraine. Anna is survived by her husband, David Barrett, and many others. She was born in Westraudufen, Germany, and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Her professional career spanned several executive positions at regional healthcare organizations. Anna was very passionate for Ukrainian causes.
She is greatly missed!
JOIN US IN THE FIGHT
Stand UP!
Call or Text the White House
Voice yourself!
Stand UP!
Contact Ohio Representatives
Voice yourself!
ABOUT
The UMANA Ohio Chapter is an integral member of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, also known as UMANA. In Ukrainian, UMANA is known as the Українське Лікарське Товариство Північної Америки, or “УЛТПА”. UMANA is made up of physicians, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and students of these professions. Our goal is to unite Ukrainian healthcare providers, share medical knowledge, and bring assistance and support to Ukrainians worldwide.
UNITE
Unite Ukrainian healthcare providers
EDUCATE
Share and exchange medical knowledge
ACT
Bring assistance and support to Ukrainians worldwide
What We Have Done
The Ohio Chapter of UMANA has risen to challenges again and again. We brought Ukrainians who were critically injured while protesting for freedom in the EuroMaidan protests in 2014 for medical and surgical care by partnering with MetroHealth Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
In numerous packing events between 2014 – 2021, we sent over 15 pallets of medical supplies to hospitals in Ukraine by partnering with MedWish Medworks (formerly Medwish International), United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio, the Cleveland Maidan Association and our friend/partners in Buffalo, NY.
With the escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine in 2022, we continue to raise funds and send medical supplies to different locations in war-torn Ukraine.
Each of our members contribute their time and talents to the efforts. Several members have traveled and continue to travel to Ukraine to provide humanitarian and medical/surgical assistance to the injured. Please see our Member Highlights which shows the commitment our group has to our community and war effort.
2022 – 2025
Dr. Michael Samotowka continues to return to Ukraine every other month and join surgeons and leaders on the front line. He has performed life-saving surgeries, provided education on surgical techniques, first aid skills and coordinated numerous shipments of medical supplies and equipmnt to needed locations. We have provided Dr. Samotowka medical and humanitarian supplies to fulfill requests that he has determined were needed during the course of his work. UMANA Ohio continues with the support of generous donors to provide necessary supplies and equipment.
Dr. Samotowka is former chief of trauma at the Cleveland Clinic and has been traveling to Ukraine with the international nonprofit humanitarian organization MedGlobal since the Russian war expanded in Ukraine in 2022. He has made more than 10 trips to various sites on or near the front in Ukraine to teach fellow surgeons, treat the wounded and deliver necessary supplies to areas of critical need. Because of the sensitivity of this matter, exact locations cannot be disclosed. Michael, or Mychajlo, regularly relays back information to our Medical Supply for Ukraine committee which works on sourcing supplies utilizing donated funds..
Dr. Samotowka continues to practice trauma surgery and critical care medicine in between his trips at the Jacksonville Memorial Hospital, the Cleveland VA Hospital and most recently he has been credited with leading Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte North Carolina to become a new Level II trauma center. This involves a rigorous process mandated by the American College of Surgeons and the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services.
2022
- 21 pallets medical supplies
- 2 ambulances with medical supplies
- Heated blankets
- QuikClot clotting dressings
- Combat tourniquets
- Pneumothorax decompression needles
- CPR training mannequins
- Entubation mannequins and supplies
2023
- 19 pallets loaded with medical supplies
- IFAKS
- Heated blankets
- QuikClot clotting dressings
- Tourniquets
- Pneumothorax decompression needles
2024
- 1 ambulance packed with medical supplies
- IFAKS
- Heated blankets
- QuikClot clotting dressings
- Gen7 tourniquets
- Pneumothorax decompression needles
- Ohio Chapter members traveled and continue to travel to Ukraine to teach, provide care, meet with hospital leaders
- The Ohio Chapter met with and continues to meet with local and national leaders to spread our message and enlist their support to meet our goals
History
UMANA was founded in 1950 by physicians and dentists who emigrated to the United States after WWII, seeking freedom, democracy, and the right to a peaceful and fruitful life. Once in the U.S., they united to form this fraternal organization, extending membership to Canada.
Initially, named the American Ukrainian Medical Society, UMANA was founded in New York City on January 22, 1950, uniting physicians, surgeons and dentists of Ukrainian descent. Since then, UMANA has grown and expanded to encompass practicing and administrative partners in the healthcare field, including pharmacists, nurses, therapists, and administrators. UMANA is a voluntary non-profit association with objectives of “uniting healthcare professionals of Ukrainian descent who share an interest in promoting the health of Ukrainians and sharing medical knowledge and scientific research with emphasis on aspects unique to Ukrainians.”
The Ohio Chapter has been fully engaged in the mission of helping bring medical aid to war-torn Ukraine. In an effort to optimize our resources and strengthen our efforts, UMANA’s Ohio Chapter has proudly partnered with various Ukrainian organizations and individuals. UMANA Ohio Chapter is a member organization of the United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio and partners with it and other amazing groups to achieve common goals. UMANA Ohio has had a wonderful relationship with nonprofit organizations and since 2014 such as MedWish International which has assisted in bringing much needed aid to Ukraine with an endless supply of medical goods.
MEDWISH INTERNATIONAL
Please DONATE
Please donate to UMANA Ohio through the UMANA Foundation and designate “for UMANA Ohio” in the comments section. All funds will be forwarded to the Ohio Chapter. Every dollar you give is cherished and we responsibly appropriate your funds to medical and humanitarian supplies for Ukraine.
DONATE TO UMANA FOUNDATION for UMANA Ohio
or
CHECKS can be mailed to:
UMANA FOUNDATION
2247 W. CHICAGO AVENUE
CHICAGO, IL 60622
