Ukraine Crisis Response

June 9, 2022

Update:

Brother’s Brother Foundation is working directly with physicians in the US and Ukraine to provide supplies and support local efforts to target areas of need such as emergency wound care and surgery, prosthetics, and neurological conditions. To donate, visit the Brother’s Brother Ukraine Neurology Fund.

March 22, 2022

Update:

Dear AAN Members,

I would like to update you on the progress of the AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group and our plans to assist neurologists in the region and provide tools to support the care of neurology patients.

We have reached out to our 34 AAN members in Ukraine, and it’s remarkable to hear of their heroism and determination to stay in Ukraine to provide care to their neurology patients. We received their lists of needed medications and supplies and have asked companies belonging to the AAN Industry Roundtable to provide donations as we have identified AAN neurology contacts in the region who are able to deliver donated items to neurology practices in need.

In addition, the AAN’s publishing partner, WK Health, is now providing free access to medical journal content for all Ukraine medical institutions. This includes access to the AAN’s portfolio of Neurology^® journals, Continuum^®, and Neurology Today^®.

In response to members across the world asking what they can do, the AAN will host a HeadTalks session, “Crisis in Ukraine: How Can Neurology Help in Times of Global Conflict?” at 8:00 a.m. PT, Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at the AAN Annual Meeting in Seattle. The panel will be moderated by Lyell K. Jones, MD, FAAN, Chair of the AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group. We will discuss the current crisis and ideas for how our community could support neurology care during global conflicts.

Finally, we continue to meet with other neurology organizations to discuss creating a greater community response.

Your pride in our profession and commitment to helping one another in times of crisis is inspiring.

With gratitude,

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN

President, American Academy of Neurology

March 14, 2022

Update:

We are proud to announce the AAN’s publishing partner is now providing free access to medical journal content for all Ukraine medical institutions. This includes access to the AAN’s portfolio of Neurology^®, Neurology^® Clinical Practice, Neurology^® Genetics, Neurology^® Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology^®, and Neurology Today^®. WK Health is providing ongoing customer access to UpToDate for health care providers in Ukraine and the region and is also participating in Research4Life, part of the World Health Organization’s HINARI initiative.

March 9, 2022

Update:

Shortly after the crisis started, Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, President of the American Academy of Neurology, created the AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group to support neurologists and their patients affected by the crisis in Ukraine. Our outreach has allowed us to connect with several of our 34 members in Ukraine and their stories were published and shared with our 38,000 members.

The AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group consists of nearly a dozen AAN leaders. Our work group is actively developing plans to directly assist neurologists in the region and provide tools to support the care of neurology patients who have been displaced. We are hearing reports from AAN members in Ukraine that there are needs for therapeutics and medical supplies, and we are actively working to try to coordinate bringing these and other types of support to the region.

The AAN exists to help all of neurology. Our mission is to provide the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care for everyone. We have been inspired by the commitment and dedication of neurologists around the world in helping our neurology community affected by the crisis in Ukraine, especially those who continue to deliver care to their patients in the midst of the crisis.

As we continue to solidify our response efforts, we will be sure to notify our members as we learn how others in the medical community may be able to help provide support for continued neurologic care in the region during this crisis.

Lyell K. Jones, MD, FAAN

Chair, AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group

March 3, 2022

Dear AAN Members,

We have started to hear stories from our 34 AAN members living in Ukraine. We wanted to share these stories published in Neurology Today^® with you so you can continue to keep your colleagues in Ukraine in your thoughts.

I have appointed an AAN Ukraine Crisis Response Work Group, chaired by Lyell K. Jones, Jr., MD, FAAN. Our work group is actively developing plans to directly assist neurologists in the region and provide tools to support the care of neurology patients who have been displaced.

In the meantime, we encourage you to consider giving to the following organizations:

UNICEF is supporting health, nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and protection for children and families caught in the conflict in Ukraine.

Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders is conducting a range of activities in Ukraine to help people travel to health care facilities and access prescribed medications.

International Medical Corps global nonprofit has been delivering primary health care and mental health services in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and is raising funds to expand those services for people affected.

International Committee of the Red Cross, seeks to help people affected by the conflict and support the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross.

UNHCR is working with the authorities, UN and other partners in Ukraine, and governments in neighboring countries and is ready to provide humanitarian assistance wherever necessary and possible.

Save the Children helps to deliver lifesaving aid to vulnerable children in Ukraine and around the world.

We are proud to be neurologists and support our fellow members and their patients in times of need.

Sincerely,

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN
President, American Academy of Neurology