18 August 2025 – Sunflower delivers 1000 kg of medical aid to two hospitals in Sumy. Our second mission took place a month after the first trip in July. This time we brought three vehicles loaded with medical items. While we were in the area, Russia’s evil dictator conducted a massive attack on Kharkiv, Sumy, Okhtyrka, Shostka, etc. killing tens of people.
After our trip in July, Sunflower contacted NHS Bradford and Jacob’s Well Appeal (Beverley) urgently asking for medical supplies for Sumy. These wonderful organisations responded quickly and offered help. We are eternally grateful for their donations and support.
We were thrilled to receive high-quality donations from St Columba’s Hospice in Edinburgh and NHS Western General Hospital. Thank you so much!
While visiting Sumy hospitals earlier, we saw that they have a surge of wounded people from the area. This city became a frontline stronghold. Getting there was dangerous, and access was restricted.
Thanks to the donors, we quickly loaded three vehicles – two vans and a car – with over 1000 kg of medical supplies. The supplies included
- surgical tools
- bandages and trauma dressings
- catheters
- surgical face masks and gloves
- ostomy bags
- vacuum splints
- adult nappies
- six wheelchairs and seven zimmer frames
Rules in Ukraine for medical aid
In 2025, all hospital in Ukraine have to ask exactly what they need for their work. It is forbidden to take what they don’t need. In addition, hospitals are banned from accepting out-of-date items. It is forbidden, and doctors can be penalised.
We know that, and we carefully prepare our medical deliveries.
Preparing the delivery: exactly what’s needed
Before out trip, Sunflower’s team worked in Edinburgh to prepare the aid. We spoke with doctors in the hospitals, and received lists of what they needed. Sometimes, when we received extra stuff, we sent photos to doctors in Sumy and they confirmed to us if they wanted that or not.
We removed all out-of-date items (unfortunately, in Ukraine they found that there were a few out-of-date syringes at the bottom of one of the boxes, and we threw them out). All supplies were sorted, and all our boxes were clearly labelled: which hospital they are going to.
All supplies were sorted into boxes. Each box was clearly labelled and colour-coded: which hospital it was going to.
Kharkiv – Sumy
We arrived to Kharkiv on the 17th August and stayed for the night. This night Kharkiv suffered a horrible attack by ballistic missiles and Shahed drones, each carrying 90 kg of explisives. Many people were wounded and ten died, including a toddler and their 16 yo brother.
In the morning, we set off to Sumy.
That night, all the region was attacked: Okhtyrka, Shostka and the Sumy city itself. Four Shahed drones hit people’s houses, and a ballistic missile blew up Sumy State University. These attacks have no rational justification. They were driven by evil, terror and hatred.
Working in Sumy
Ukrainian soldiers from the Arei battalion helped us and their ambulance escorted us around the city. They knew when the new attacks were coming, and where, and they kept us safe. When you are working at the front, it’s so important to have this information, because it’s the only way to protect our team.
To support the life-saving work of Arei’s frontline medics, we donated them several boxes of bandages and dressings, splints, and two foldable stretchers.
We arrived at the first hospital in the morning. We unloaded the first van, and moved to another hospital. There, we unloaded the remaining supplies from the second van and an estate car.
Our dear Ukrainian friends – Zhanna Bukret and Vitalyy Oboronko – travelled with us to Sumy and helped us to deliver aid.
After lunchtime, our mission was over and we headed back to Kharkiv. It’s a bit strange that we think of Kharkiv as a safe place to return to, after Sumy. But the war puts everything into an entirely new perspective.
Next trip – hospitals in Donbas
Our next trip will be to hospitals in the Donbas region. There are hundreds of persons – both soldiers and civilians who survived missile attacks on their homes. People had life-saving surgeries where their arms, legs and guts were amputated or removed. Please support us and help to prepare for the next trip.
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