Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation - News
Utah pediatrican helps children in Ukraine
Salt Lake City, March 26, 2022 - Gordon Duval, D.O., the pediatrician son of the late Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation founder, Gordon Duval, Sr., traveled to Ternopil, Ukraine, where he helped children amidst the raging war. He is a current member of the Board of Advisors of the Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation.
Gordon arrived in Warsaw, Poland on March 21, and left the following morning for Ternopil in Ukraine, where he served at the hospital. He traveled in a Land Rover with a van full of medical supplies (see picture at left.)
He took to children and their families approximately $60,000 of medicines and supplies in 21 suitcases, weighing 1,400 lbs. Delta Airlines waived cargo fees. 134 generous people donated approximately $18,000, and the Mountain West, Central Valley, and Uinta Valley Medical Centers donated supplies. The Birch Pharmacy participated by obtaining supplies at $500 below cost. Dr. Duval was motivated by his genuine desire as a pediatrician to help as many children as he can.
Under normal conditions, it takes over 8 hours 20 minutes to traverse the 650 KM (400 miles) from Poland to Ternopil—the distance from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. Under war conditions, because of the many military checkpoints, their travel time increased significantly. The pictures on the left show checkpoints their caravan encountered along the way. Everyone in their group had IDs that enabled them to pass the checkpoints intended to prevent those with mischievous intent from getting through.
The group spent the night of March 21st in the outskirts of LVIV, then continued their trip to Ternopil, arriving at the orphanage the following day. (See picture of the orphanage’ children on the left.)
After unloading their medical supplies they proceeded to meet the medical needs of adults and children. Dr. Duval met an American dentist that had also traveled to Ukraine to offer dental services to patients at the hospital.
Dr. Duval returned to Poland on Friday, March 25th, and will continue to serve refugees there until April 2nd.
The Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation is proud to have Dr. Duval on its Board of Advisors, and strives to give him as much support as possible but the majority of what he has accomplished so far is the result of his personal efforts, with the caring support of his wife Leona. In Poland, he is being supported by the Utah humanitarian organization August Mission, founded by Bruce Roberts – a retired military officer—to undertake meaningful missions. The Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation is also helping with contacts on the ground in Poland, and with other sundry arrangements.
The Waterfall Humanitarian Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization in Utah, that began by helping children in Venezuela, and has now extended its work to children in Ukraine.