Projects
AUMP is primarily focused upon histology and pathology, the science of disease detection from tissue specimens. A key technology which we introduce and support is immunohistochemistry (IHC, for short). Our work relies upon donations of surplus medical equipment and supplies from vendors, hospitals, and laboratories. These donations allow us to upgrade the equipment used by our participating hospitals in Ukraine. Cash donations allow us to operate this website, pay for needed travel, printing, office supplies and other administrative expenses.
Among the various projects currently underway at AUMP, we have:
Donation solicitation (funds, volunteers, usable medical equipment and supplies);
Website development;
Expansion of our network in Ukraine and America;
Donor development;
New directions.
Donation solicitation
As a charity which is not supported by an endowment or other wealthy benefactor AUMP is always in need of donations of money, time and material in order to carry out its programs. We actively pursue grants from a wide range of sources but must also rely upon individual donations, our e-commerce affiliations and other opportunities. Our single greatest constraint to reaching ever more patients in Ukraine is simply a lack of funding.
Volunteers are always needed for the talents and connections they bring to our Project. In addition to their valuable gift of time our volunteers provide us with an attractive, functional and hard-working website; sets of eyes watching for new donations of surplus medical equipment; translations to Ukrainian and Russian; grant prospects and much, much more. By 2005 our volunteers have given over 20,000 hours to help make AUMP what it is today.
Medical equipment and supplies are the second greatest need which AUMP faces. Without the technological upgrade offered by donated medical equipment it would be impossible for our Ukrainian colleagues to implement the training and techniques we provide. Without the donations of antibodies and other critical supplies it would be impossible for AUMP to afford to do its work of raising diagnostic precision in Ukrainian pathology laboratories. The overwhelming value of AUMP's contribution in Ukraine has come through the transfer of these types of donations. It is our success at finding these resources that compel us all to try harder to put them to work in Ukraine.
Website development
Website development at AUMP is an ever-evolving process. Our website provides a window into what AUMP does, who we are, and who we serve. It also provides answers to questions from the general public, our medical colleagues, volunteers, grantmakers and governments. Ever since the very beginning we have tried to make it as useful as possible to both our charity and our colleagues in Ukraine. To this end we have, or soon will have, Ukrainian and Russian language pages which match the English language section. Our website is referenced on dozens of websites around the world, including several Ukrainian medical portals and link sites. In this way we hope we can also reach still more medical professionals in Ukraine and perhaps beyond.
In 2004 and 2005 we undertook a new direction with our website. We abandoned the previous site and its reliance on proprietary software for page development and maintenance. Our new version is built using open source software and designed to be readily viewed without relying upon expensive licensed software. As we sent ten PCs with blank hard drives to Ukraine in 2005 this idea of using open source, or "free" software is even more attractive.
Network Expansion
Thanks in part to the generosity of our supply donors, and because we enjoy our work in Ukraine so much, we are always open to the idea of expanding our network of participating hospitals. What began with three hospitals in 1998 until our incorporation in 2001 became four after our second visit to Ukraine in September, 2001. Also at that time we began a collaboration with the Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, part of Ukraine's Academy of Medicine. In 2003 we returned to Ukraine to conduct training for the Kherson Oblast Oncodispensary as part of a successful collaboration with the Kent - Kherson Sister City Association.
Since then we have been approached by doctors at hospitals in three more cities in other parts of Ukraine. It is our great wish to be able to add them to our network. The supplies may be sufficient and increasing our training class size is not yet a problem. The equipment we have shipped to Ukraine so far can also be spread a little thinner but it would be much better to find or buy these hospitals microtomes, tissue processors and embedding centers of their own.
Donor Development
AUMP has accomplished a great deal and is on the verge of accomplishing much, much more. We benefit from several years experience in Ukraine, a commitment to continue what has been begun and we have some excellent supply donors. What AUMP needs in order to continue and expand its work is for new financial supporters to come forward. We are working diligently on securing new funding through grants from foundations and other sources. We continue to operate in a frugal fashion, however, it is simply not possible to do this work without funding for travel, certain supplies and general costs of running a charity.
We urge members of the Ukrainian Diaspora to lobby their clubs and associations to fund AUMP. Congregations seeking a worthy project to support are invited to join us. Even though we are pursuing grants the number of foundations which fund international medical work, let alone in Ukraine, are very, very few. AUMP was not founded to do something easy or to enjoy a wide range of funding options - it was founded to carry on very important work which was left incomplete. It was founded to match the surplus of supplies and equipment in America with the overwhelming need in Ukraine. Our work gives back a wonderful connection with medicine as a healing art instead of a business.
New Directions
A strength of AUMP is our willingness to consider new collaborations and approaches to the challenges we and our partners face. We always keep the door open to new ideas and opportunities. Among the benefits of this approach to our work are agility and responsiveness. Not only does this allow AUMP to do the best work possible, it prevents us from getting or staying 'stuck' with methods or means which do not get the job done. Our focus remains improving healthcare technology in Ukraine.
This page last updated June 8, 2005