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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV US Eye Hospital-Ukrainians – Solomko
HEADLINE: US hospital helps restore eyesight of wounded Ukrainians
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 09/xx/24 at
BYLINE: Iryna Solomko
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
VIDEOGRAPHER: Pavlo Terekhov
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA + AFP,
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:28
VID APPROVED BY: KE
Vide reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECUU7zPqtJU
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: ))
((INTRO:))
[[Since 2015, one of America’s oldest eye clinics, Wills Eye Hospital, has been helping
wounded Ukrainian soldiers with severe head or face injuries get their vision back. For one surgeon with Ukrainian roots, the work is personal. Iryna Solomko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.]]
((NARRATION))
Ophthalmology professor and plastic surgeon Jurij Bilyk’s [1] parents are from Ukraine, but he was born here and has deep ties to his parents' home country.
((Dr. Jurij Bilyk, Plastic Surgeon)) ((UKR))
“The Ukrainian community knows my phone, local organizations do too, and they call me.”
((NARRATION))
They call Bilyk because he works at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which has a large Ukrainian population and because he is in a uinque position to help wounded veterans of the war in Ukraine.
((Dr. Jurij Bilyk, Plastic Surgeon)) ((UKR))
What I would say is that the hospital administration never says no...”
((NARRATION))
((Mandatory courtesy: Wills Eye Hospital))
He specializes in what’s called oculoplastic surgery, or reconstruction of the eye. Since the war began, the Hospital has been helping wounded
((End courtesy))
Ukrainian soldiers with serious face and eye injuries.
((NARRATION))
Mark Blecher is the Hospital’s Chief Administrator. He says they are offering this kind of help to wounded Ukrainians free of charge thanks to outside donations.
((Mark Blecher, Chief Medical Administrator)) ((ENG))
“We’ve had some donors who are good friends of Wills, they specifically contributed to a fund to help and make sure we can continue to provide this care to Ukrainian soldiers in need.”
((NARRATION))
Doctor Bilyk says that since Russia Invaded Ukraine in 20 - 22, some 20 soldiers have come here for eye operations that can’t be done in Ukraine. Some take hours, and often involve more than one surgeon.
((Dr. Jurij Bilyk, Plastic Surgeon)) ((UKR))
“I think the longest surgery was performed by Dr. Syed. // She had to put in an artificial cornea; the surgery lasted
((Mandatory courtesy: Wills Eye Hospital))
several hours. Sometime, a retina specialist would start, then a cornea specialist would do their part, and then at the end I would work with
((End courtesy))
eyelids…”
((NARRATION)
Surgeon Zeba Syed works with Bilyk, often they operate together. She specializes in the cornea, the outermost layer of the eye.
((Dr. Zeba Syed, Cornea Surgeon)) ((ENG))
“Most of the injuries where cornea scars are blast injuries, so they had significant corneal scarring. The window into their eye is totally opaque and white
((Mandatory courtesy: Wills Eye Hospital))
like the wall. So, this particular type of transplant
((End courtesy))
takes about 1,5 hours…”
((NARRATION))
Syed says the majority of the Ukrainian soldiers she has seen are young men who have families and kids. All too often fully restoring someone’s eyesight is impossible, but even partial eyesight restoration can be a huge help for suffering families.
((Dr. Zeba Syed, Cornea Surgeon)) ((ENG))
“The wife of this particular patient who we fit for a contact lens, told me that finally now she’s comfortable leaving him at home alone. Until now, she couldn’t leave him at home alone, because it wasn’t safe…”
((NARRATION))
Sometimes Bilyk says surgeries don’t help – and he needs to remove the eye – something that’s very emotionally and psychologically difficult.
((Dr. Jurij Bilyk, Plastic Surgeon)) ((UKR))
“Sometimes the injury is so profound we can’t help. So, we need to remove the eye, because the patient would look better with an eye prosthesis than with no eye at all. // It’s a tough conversation when they traveled here, and we say we can’t help.”
((NARRATION))
Bilyk and other doctors at Wills Eye Hospital say they will continue helping Ukrainian soldiers for free until their help is no longer needed.
((For Iryna Slomko in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Anna Rice, VOA News))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateSeptember 30, 2024 09:25 EDT
BylineIryna Solomko
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
