The World Children’s Transplant Fund (WCTF), and our Founder and Board Chairman, Mark Kroeker launched the “For the Children of Ukraine” campaign on September 13, 2022.
Held within Galpin Ford’s elegant showroom housing their collection of legendary cars and vehicles, 100 attendees gathered together to celebrate adn support the launch of the new WCTF campaign to help facilitate life-saving transplants for displaced Ukrainian children.
Hosted by WCTF Founder, Mark Kroeker, along with celebrity campaign chairman, Mr. Lorenzo Lamas, and luncheon chairman, former L.A. city councilman, Dennis Zine, the WCTF the individuals who are making a difference in the lives of Ukrainian children. Right now, during a devastating war, refugee Ukrainian children are desperately waiting for lifesaving surgeries, or need post-transplant care. In the years ahead, the transplant centers of Ukraine will need support in rebuilding and re-equipping the pediatric organ transplant system after the devastation of war. Proceeds from the WCTF Luncheon will go toward facilitating life-saving pediatric organ transplants for children in the Ukraine and around our world.
Dr. Oleg Godik, Cheif Pediatric Transplantologist from the National Children’s Hospital Ohmatdyt in Kiev stated, “Since the war started, Ukraine’s organ transplant system has been completely disrupted. Organ procurement including air and even ground transportation has ended. And we all have been working tirelessly, living at the hospital, round the clock performing surgeries, basically for the war-wounded children and adults. The routine work that used to be performed was then limited to the urgent surgeries in children in critical condition. But we somehow manage to restore the pre-war volume of highly specialized life-saving surgical care in our hospital, including the “second birth” of our transplant program, despite the alarm sirens we hear that sometimes never end. We are most grateful for the support of the World Children’s Transplant Fund. It is very encouraging to us to know that the WCTF is supporting us in the short run as well as the long run. We look to the day when the war is over, and we can resume our work in our beautiful peaceful independent Ukraine.”
Mark Kroeker, Former LAPD Deputy Chief and founder of the WCTF Stated: “For 35 years the World Children’s Transplant Fund has been facilitating lifesaving organ transplant surgeries for children around the world. With the special problems created by the war in Ukraine, we are heavily focused on children and surgeons and their needs. It is a special honor for the WCTF team to help them at the time of their deepest need”.
To donate to this time-sensitive campaign, please click here.