Doctor Valeria: From Refugee to Relief Worker
Dr. Valeria Zayats
Starting Anew: A story of Bravery and Resilience
Valeria Zayats lived all of her life in Chernihiv (Chernigov) Ukraine, where she was born. Until the Russian invasion, Valeria was a career woman at the top of her profession. After graduating from medical school, she worked for 22 years as an emergency physician. For the past three years she served as the head of a first aid station in the city.
Dr. Valeria Zayats at her office in Chernihiv, Ukraine before the war
On February 24th of this year everything changed. Valeria got a call from work at six in the morning to report to the first aid station. She left the house for work, saying her usual goodbye to her 14-year-old daughter and her mother. Little did she know that it would be 5 horror-filled days before she returned home. Valeria arrived at her first aid station on the first day of the Russian attack. Suddenly she had to deal with things she could not have imagined in normal times. People from all over the city began arriving at the first aid station. Valeria and her team had to find food and lodging for the people whose homes and neighborhoods had been destroyed. Her team members went out to the battlefield to fetch the wounded and to bring medicine and supplies to the city’s defenders so that they could continue to fight off the invaders.
The city was under fire day and night. Valeria’s team went into devastated neighborhoods to rescue the survivors. Soon it became too dangerous for the doctors and medics to venture out and they started helping people on the phone. And after a while this too became impossible due to the destruction of communication lines. Valeria tried to continue her work despite the relentless bombing.
The Russian siege of Chernihiv lasted thirty-nine days. Approximately seven hundred people were killed and many more died as a result of freezing temperatures, lack of medical care, and shortages of food and medicine. In addition, over 3,500 buildings were destroyed.
Even when Valeria’s team members had the chance to escape with their families to less dangerous areas in Ukraine, a third of the staff gave up that opportunity and stayed in the besieged city, to continue their vital work.
While Valeria was fighting to save the lives of other people, her own mother and her daughter were under fire in their apartment. They took cover and they waited. Valeria kept in touch with them all day and encouraged them as best she could. She told her daughter that she was not in terrible danger and that all of this fighting would soon end.
Photos: Siege of Chernihiv - Photo source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine
After a while Valeria felt that she was not contributing in this situation because she did not have the background required for combat medicine. She also felt responsible for her daughter's life. She decided to leave the country of her birth and go to Poland; to start living in a new place with all the challenges that would entail. Young volunteers from the Chabad organization in Ukraine helped to evacuate Valeria’s mother to Kyiv. Chabad organized a group evacuation on busses from Chernihiv to Kyiv. The grandmother is now living with relatives in Kyiv. Valeria was surprised and thankful that Chabad, a Jewish organization, did so much to help her family and others who were not Jewish.
Valeria and her daughter now had to make their way out of the besieged city. There was no possibility of an orderly evacuation. Everyone was desperately seeking ways to leave - each one on their own. Volunteers tried to help residents escape, but conditions were horrific. Bombs were falling. There were explosions everywhere. Those leaving could take only one bag and had to leave their pets behind. The road was extremely dangerous because there was no green corridor and volunteers evacuated people at their own risk. The only way to get out of the city was via one bridge that was under constant fire. Valeria and her daughter left the city with a friend in a private car: filled with women and children. The road was perilous. The harrowing trip took 5 days. On the way the children got sick, and the group had to stop in another city enroute (Khmelnitsky). As soon as the children were strong enough, they continued on their way to Lviv. Thanks to the volunteers, they were able to arrive in Poland in private vehicles. Along the road they met quite a few Ukrainian soldiers. This raised their spirits, gave them confidence and the strength to keep going.
When Valeria arrived in Poland, she started to work in a sorting center as a volunteer. She wanted to do more, but she did not have the required documents. One day Valeria arrived at the “Tesco” refugee center in Przemysl to deliver a package. There she saw the first aid clinic and asked the guard to let her in. He brought her into the NATAN clinic. “It was like the hand of God, this changed my life,” said Valeria. At first, she did not even understand what language was being spoken there. This was Valeria’s first introduction to the medical team of NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief. It was also her first encounter with Israelis. Valeria discovered a cohesive group of professionals, working together to help anyone and everyone who entered the clinic. Valeria had just one goal: to help in any way she could using her professional experience and expertise. She bravely approached the NATAN team to offer help. Valeria told the NATAN team members of her experience and background, noting that she speaks the language and is familiar with Ukrainian medicine.
above photos: Dr. Valeria Zayats with NATAN team members at the medical clinic in the Refugee Center, Przemysl, Poland
Valeria says: “I was willing at that moment to give whatever was needed and more. To my delight, I was accepted, with the magical help of God. Every day I learn new things and get new opportunities. I gain knowledge from the professionals around me, and I am able to contribute, to help and advise. The NATAN people are like my family. Each new team of NATAN volunteers that arrives expands and enriches my family.”
Valeria is rebuilding her life in a new place - personifying the NATAN core value of rebuilding lives with dignity. She is now working in a paid position as a doctor at a medical center in Poland as well as working with NATAN at the refugee center clinic. “People are what matters to me most.”
NATAN Worldwide Disaster Relief’s operation to aid Ukrainian refugees is funded by our valued partners:
UJA Federation of New York and JDC Grid
