An Oxford doctor is set to take on her first triathlon triathlon to raise money for the charity she co-founded which is aiming to improve palliative care in Ukraine.
Dr Rachel Clarke, 51, will be taking part in the Blenheim Palace Triathlon on June 1 alongside her son Finn and a group of her friends.
She set an initial target of raising £5,000 for Hospice Ukraine, but collectively the group has raised more than £8,700.
Donations can be made through her Just Giving page.
Dr Clarke established Hospice Ukraine alongside neurosurgeon Henry Marsh after witnessing the devastating impacts of the Russian invasion on Ukraine's healthcare system.
The charity, set up in 2023, has raised more than £75,000 since its inception.
Its aim is to support Ukrainian hospice teams in providing end-of-life palliative care.
Dr Clarke first visited Ukraine eight months after the Russian invasion.
She said: "We saw first hand the shattering impact of war on Ukraine's health services - especially its hospices and palliative care teams."
After her visit in 2023 she said it was “immediately apparent” the health services were in need of support.
She continued: “It was immediately apparent that the conditions of war are overwhelming health services all across Ukraine.
“In Sambir, in the east, there were a huge number of displaced people from the conflict zones in the east, putting huge pressure on the hospice.
"Staff were even treating casualties from the frontlines who had sustained terminal injuries in the conflict.
“It was heart breaking to see how the conditions of war were affecting every part of the country. Bombs sometimes even fall on Lviv.
“Then we travel by night train to Kyiv, intending to do more teaching there - but a huge missile attack coincided with our train pulling into Kyiv station and we were caught up in the attack, spending the day in a bomb shelter. “
In August, she will be going to Ukraine for a third time since the Russian invasion, and her son is set to go with her to volunteer.
Hospice Ukraine has already partnered with two local teams; Sambir Hospice in Lviv and the Dobrubut Foundation in Kyiv.
However, its vision for 2024 is to develop an interactive multimedia teaching website to offer high-standard palliative care training for teams across Ukraine.
The funds will also provide educational visits to Ukraine by UK doctors and annual trips to the UK for Ukrainian doctors.
Dr Clarke said: "Anything you can spare for this fundraiser would be hugely appreciated - because we all deserve comfort and dignity at the end of life, no matter where we live."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here