B.C. man delivers medical supplies from local sports teams, Fraser Health, surgeon to Ukraine

Among the billions of dollars in aid pouring into Ukraine are desperately needed medical supplies donated from B.C. companies, individuals and a health authority – hand-delivered by a Coquitlam man on behalf of a Canadian charity.

Rob McTavish, an SFU program director and volunteer with the Hero Society, delivered millions of dollars worth of medical supplies earlier this month, including the contents of an entire surgical clinic from a local doctor and hundreds of electronically-controlled beds being replaced by newer models in Fraser Health. 

“We ensure that, especially the high-end donations, get point-to-point…I document that with video for our donors,” he said, adding smaller items and supplies were also delivered to eight hospitals on his second trip to the war-ravaged country earlier this month. “I carried over 110 kilos in my 6 suitcases this last trip that was just filled with bandages and tourniquets and saline for washing out wounds.”

CTV News has learned an X-ray machine donated to the charity and installed at a Ukrainian hospital was donated by the BC Place X-ray unit on behalf of the Vancouver Whitecaps and BC Lions.

McTavish credits the society’s medical director, Tamara Moldon, with working round-the-clock to find supplies – including from TV and film productions that no longer require real medical equipment used for productions and would otherwise be liquidated.

Having previously served with the Canadian Forces, McTavish is no stranger to conflicts overseas, but he’s been deeply rocked by what he saw in Ukraine on his second trip; his first was last summer to deliver a cache of tools for orthopaedic surgeries, which have been plentiful given the many explosions from Russian attacks via missiles and air strikes.

The McTavish family has taken in two Ukrainian families since the war began a year ago, and one survived such a strike while staying with the family of a teen who’s been living with them for months. 

“Danny's sister, who's four, came running up to the bedroom I was in and was in tears saying. ‘You have to come down to the shelter, come now,’” he said. “This little girl -- a quarter of her life has been dealing with sirens, going to the bomb shelter and rocket attacks.”

The Hero Society is continuing to solicit donations of winter clothing and medical equipment – from bandages to replacement parts for MRI machines – and McTavish isn’t ruling out a third trip to make sure the supplies get where they’re needed most. 

“I would love to go back, but there has to be a good reason for me to go,” he said. “I don't want to put any pressure by bringing one more mouth to feed into the area.”