УКР On June 10, 2025, Leleka Foundation launched a virtual exchange program connecting Ukrainian frontline medics & doctors with U.S. trauma care professionals working in conflict areas. Developed in partnership with the Center of Operational Medicine at Augusta University, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, the Department of Health, and the Ukrainian College of Surgeons, the initiative aims to strengthen global trauma care by sharing firsthand wartime medical experience.
The program offers Ukrainian medics the opportunity to present real-life trauma cases and battlefield procedures to American counterparts via a series of online knowledge exchanges. In return, U.S. medical professionals working in conflict areas provide training and feedback on trauma protocols and international standards of care.
According to Leleka Foundation, the program’s mission is twofold: to help Ukrainian medics enhance their trauma care through collaboration with leading U.S. specialists, and to provide American doctors and trauma surgeons with direct insights from modern large-scale warfare — insights that are increasingly relevant in global conflict preparedness.
“We strongly believe that this collaboration will enhance the survival of NATO servicemen and women in large-scale conflicts. Ukrainian medics are treating trauma under extreme battlefield conditions — with limited resources, long evacuation times, and constant enemy fire,” said Vadim Geshel, President of Leleka Foundation. “These are realities few western professionals have experienced firsthand, and the lessons being learned in Ukraine are critically important for any future large-scale conflict.”
Each session features a one-hour case study discussion, focusing on triage strategies, complex trauma interventions, and decision-making in high-risk, high-stress scenarios. The initial stage of the program is geared toward U.S. medics working in conflict areas, trauma surgeons, and emergency medicine professionals.
Leleka Foundation believes the knowledge exchange will lead to long-term professional connections and improvements in medical readiness for both Ukrainian and American teams.
“This is not just about teaching,” added Geshel. “It’s about mutual learning, building trust, and strengthening the systems that save lives during war.”
Leleka Foundation continues to support Ukrainian medical professionals on the ground by supplying critical equipment and coordinating frontline aid. This new educational program adds a strategic layer to its mission: ensuring that the knowledge gained through sacrifice is shared globally, to protect more lives in the future.