Maria Korosta, a paramedic living in Korost, a village in Rivne Pblast, Ukraine with her 2 boys Maksym (13) and Mykola (8)
My name is Maria, I am a mother of two boys with epidermolysis bullosa. The war has made a great impact on my children and their psychological state. Firstly, it manifests with anxiety and feelings of stress about what can happen tomorrow.
Secondly, socialization, which my children need so much. Currently, my children are deprived of this, while they need communication with their peers.
Electricity disconnections have become a very difficult problem for us, because without light it is impossible to perform dressing changes. Due to constant stress new wounds emerge all over the body and on mucous membranes. There are so many of them being formed, and after bathing, children must be warmed up and bandaged in such conditions where the heater should work without interruption and light is needed. After wound care, children get hypothermia, which leads to a raised temperature.
Dressing change takes from two to five hours for two children. In the morning, when there is no air raid alarm, I have to take my children to school and I have to make wound care procedures using a flashlight. Children need food that is pureed with a blender – this also adds a lot of effort to prepare food so that they can eat.
We are very thankful to DEBRA International and the Red Cross Singapore who collected humanitarian aid for our children with medicines and medical products, which are so necessary for those who are sick in this difficult time for all of us. Although we live in wartime conditions, we have everything we need to bandage our children thanks to your support!!
Sincerely thank you!