TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — After conducting medical missions in Poland since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) returned to Ukraine this fall. A humanitarian initiative led by its founder and surgical lead, Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn, the 18th CUF-CUSAP missions provided complex reconstructive surgeries for Ukrainian veterans and civilians injured in the war, marking a significant milestone in restoring access to advanced surgical care inside Ukraine.
“To be back on Ukrainian soil, working side by side with our colleagues again, was profoundly meaningful,” said Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn, MD FRCSC. “Our CUSAP surgical teams completed 52 major reconstructive operations, 9 of them being microsurgical free flaps, and 88 consultations in just 12 days. It was our most efficient and cohesive mission to date, demonstrating the resilience and professionalism of both the Canadian and Ukrainian medical teams.”
The surgical teams operated in partnership with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, the Lviv-Clinical Municipal Communal Emergency Hospital (Unbroken Centre for Rehabilitation) and the Volyn Regional Clinical Hospital in Lutsk.
The missions included orthopedics, reconstructive craniofacial surgeries, neurosurgery, microsurgery, plastic surgery, anesthesia, and nursing specialists, focusing on training local surgeons and building long-term capacity in advanced trauma care.
“The need for orthopedic and reconstructive expertise is staggering,” said Dr. Michelle Hladunewich, MD, MSc FRCPC . “Our return to Ukraine isn’t just about providing immediate surgical relief, it’s about transferring knowledge and strengthening the systems that will support thousands of future patients who have survived devastating injuries.”
The fall 2025 CUSAP missions were made possible through the support of donors to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and its partners. CUF led a national fundraising campaign this fall that raised more than $1,000,000 CAD for medical programs, which will enable CUSAP to plan additional missions to address craniofacial and extremity post-trauma deformities in civilian and military casualties of war.
“CUSAP missions demonstrate what Canadian support makes possible,” said Valeriy Kostyuk, Executive Director of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. “Every contribution goes directly to surgical care, training, and the recovery of those who have given everything for Ukraine’s freedom. Returning CUSAP to Ukraine signals both trust and progress, proof that our collective efforts are helping rebuild the country’s medical resilience.”
Photo credit: Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP)
CUSAP, established in 2014 under the leadership of Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn and CUF, has now completed 18 surgical missions, treating thousands of patients and performing hundreds of reconstructive operations for victims of war. Each mission includes extensive training components, ensuring the transfer of advanced surgical techniques to Ukrainian doctors and sustaining medical excellence long after the teams return home.
To learn more about CUF and to donate to fund reconstructive surgical missions and empower Ukraine’s healthcare workers with the tools and resources they need to save lives, please visit cufoundation.ca.
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Media Contacts:
Zai Karim [email protected] – 647-983-6669
Shannon Kenney [email protected] – 416-770-0359
About the Canada-Ukraine Foundation
Founded in 1995 during the 18th Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established to coordinate, develop, and deliver humanitarian assistance from Canadians to Ukraine. CUF continues to play a vital role as a national charitable foundation, working to monitor, promote, and support humanitarian aid initiatives. Its mission includes evaluating projects, fostering collaboration among aid providers, setting strategic priorities, and ensuring resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact. CUF also serves as a forum for individuals and organizations—across community, private, and public sectors—committed to supporting Ukraine. In addition to its work abroad, CUF also supports related initiatives within Canada. cufoundation.ca
About CUSAP
The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program – CUSAP is a humanitarian surgical aid initiative that provides life-changing care to patients affected by the war in Ukraine. The surgery mission model is based on the organization and mobilization of a self-sufficient multidisciplinary surgical team comprising all requisite staff, surgical hardware and supplies. The goals of the program are to provide comprehensive state-of-the-art multidisciplinary trauma care and post-trauma reconstruction to both civilian and military casualties of war in Ukraine, and to provide support to Ukrainian health care professionals through education in trauma reconstruction.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0db56b86-44a3-4e00-b5e2-588d41916b60
