Giving Back - Greenacres, FL

Dr. Sharon is the daughter of a refugee from Eastern Europe who was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany after WW2. This is one of the many reasons why she wanted to do something hands-on to help with the Ukrainian crisis. She went to Eastern Europe for two weeks in July 2022 with three of her four sons. They participated in a medical mission with CERT International. After three flights and a 10-hour drive across the Romanian/Moldovan Border, the team finally arrived in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.

Chisinau was where the first day of clinics was held. Many churches in Moldova were hosting refugees. The churches were converted to dormitories. It was very hard to see mothers and children with everything they had lying among church benches waiting for documents for a more permanent place to stay. What stood out was that there were no adult males. They were not allowed to leave Ukraine and stayed to fight. Many of the refugees were already refugees in Ukraine. They mostly came from Azerbaijan and Armenia.

They traveled to different villages daily, sometimes several hours away. The clinics were held in churches. One church had no space for the clinic indoors, so patients were seen outside. Another church had no running water. Patients lined up and waited for dental and medical exams. They were fitted for reading glasses and provided medication, as well as hygiene products that they could not get otherwise. Dr. Sharon was one of two dentists on her team. Her 3 boys learned to take vital signs and how to fit patients for reading glasses. They also assisted in the dental area and the pharmacy.