Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Activity Report (June – July 2025): St. Michael’s Center for Medical and Social Rehabilitation of Children (Ukraine)

 

St. Michael’s Center for Medical and Social Rehabilitation of Children (hereafter referred to as St. Michael’s) is one of AMDA’s Ukrainian counterparts, based in the Transcarpathia region of western Ukraine.

St. Michael’s is known to accept children with Down syndrome, autism, scoliosis, as well as those with physical, psychological, and intellectual disabilities. The center offers a wide range of rehabilitation programs designed to enhance the social participation of such children by promoting their physical and mental growth. The programs include physiotherapy, speech-language-hearing therapy, and music therapy.

Since the Ukraine crisis began, St. Michael’s has been increasingly in demand. Vacancies for this year’s rehabilitation programs have already been filled, because the center has been serving children from war zones, who also have special medical needs.

During an online meeting with AMDA in early August, St. Michael’s shared a story of a 17-year-old boy from Dnipro in the east, where intense fighting continues. The director of St. Micheal’s gave the following account:

“Because of cerebral palsy, the boy could not walk or move his limbs. However, he showed a remarkable improvement after receiving our month-long rehab program last year, and again this year. Being a horse lover, one day, he said there was something he wanted to show us at a stable. It turned out that he made a “heart hands” gesture in front of a horse, even though he could barely move his fingers or hands. I was deeply moved by it and took a photo of the moment.” 

As sideline activities, St. Michael’s has been collaborating with a local aid organization that extends support to evacuees from conflict areas.

Amid price hikes stemming from the protracted crisis, they distributed food items to pensioners and evacuees in difficult financial circumstances. Similar support was given to 19 children and a couple as well.
 

The aid not only supplied food stocks but also helped recipients maintain their appropriate diet. Furthermore, their collaboration allowed St. Michael’s to purchase essential medicines and medical equipment for a cancer patient who was treated at its own facility.

St. Michael’s uses AMDA’s funds to cover the costs of cleaning equipment, utilities, and gasoline for vehicles.

Through St. Michael’s, AMDA hopes to continue supporting people in Ukraine, who are persevering through adversity.