You are here:HomeAlumnaeAlumnae Stories Teresa Lachowicz - Class Of 1986 THE WORLD NEEDS TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE AND KEEP PUSHING When Loreto Toorak Alumna, Teresa Lachowicz (Warcaba,1986), was growing up she spent her Saturday mornings attending Ukrainian School, and therefore was unable to participate in sports with so many of her classmates. As a child, she never understood why learning the culture and language of her parents’ home country was so important, preferring to be alongside her friends, playing the wide variety of sports Loreto Toorak had on offer. When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Teresa's connection to her heritage and cultural upbringing had never felt stronger. She was reminded of her grandparents, who fled Ukraine with her parents, both toddlers at the time, during WWII when Joseph Stalin had control over the country as part of the Soviet Union. While Teresa watched the atrocities taking place on the news, she knew she had to do something. With the Australian Federation of Ukraine Organisations (AFUO), Teresa and her team quickly came together to collect and provide medical aid for soldiers and civilians in Ukraine. Many hours were spent making telephone calls and sending emails, contacting anyone who could help. With little knowledge of medical terms, or even what type of medical equipment would be useful, the team asked for any sort of donations from the medical field. Only a month later, Teresa and the team had amassed numerous pallets of supplies. The generosity of the public extended to offering warehouse space to store the medical equipment, free transport across Australia, and countless volunteers ready to work hard to help reinstate justice and freedom for the people of Ukraine. And work they did. The donations included medical necessities and kits for soldiers to clip onto their combat pack to render basic first aid. With these kits, soldiers have been able to save countless lives. Also among the supplies were body bags: a sombre yet essential item when at war, allowing those who have lost their lives while fighting for their country to be buried with dignity. When the team and volunteers were ready, Qantas Airways offered their support and transported the supplies safely to Ukraine and once it arrived, civilians distributed the kits across the country using their own vehicles, as trucks were, and continue to be, bombed by Russian forces. Since the invasion began, Teresa’s team have sent more than 200 pallets of medical supplies to support the people of Ukraine, amounting to in excess of $2M. This has been achieved through 60 donors across Australia, including hospitals, primary care groups, medical suppliers, individuals and many organisations. It is very difficult for Australians to understand the crisis many Ukrainians are facing. Lives have been unimaginably disrupted; homes, schools, and hospitals destroyed, forcing families to flee and seek refuge elsewhere. Most Ukrainians fleeing to Australia are women and children, as men are mandated to stay and fight. One of the beautiful things about the Ukrainian people is that these men do not resist this, nor see it as an obligation, but rather, want to stay and fight with pride. Yet loved ones become separated, with only minutes to grab a few belongings and say their goodbyes, knowing they will likely never see each other again. Young boys become soldiers overnight, access Google to learn how to use weapons, and are placed in unimaginable situations. The fear and horror the soldiers are facing is something no individual or country should ever have to face. Teresa and the committee are also working closely with the government to grant priority visas for Ukrainian refugees; over 8000 visas have been authorised to date. Their work also includes enabling refugees to provide them access to Medicare, counselling and other mental health services. Part of Teresa’s role includes meeting refugees at the airport; she greets them in their native language and, as she does, she sees in their eyes a recognition that brings a sense of calm. It is those precise moments Teresa feels unending gratitude for her Saturday mornings at Ukrainian School. War fatigue is real. People all over the world become tired of hearing of the devastation and bombings on the news, but for Ukrainians this is a continuing reality, one from which they cannot desist, as their lives and future hang in the balance. However, since the war broke out, a deepening strength has tethered the Ukrainian community across the globe, and people stand in solidarity against the atrocities of war. We urge our community to continue to support Ukraine, now and when the war ends as they rebuild their wonderful country. Teresa received a Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne University after graduating from Loreto Toorak. She has never worked in war crisis and, despite having no humanitarian employment experience when Russia invaded Ukraine, she felt called to help the Ukrainian people. Her resilience, tenacity and sense of justice are characteristics that Loreto Toorak strives to instil in all our students. Teresa is a true woman of Mary Ward who embodies her strength of spirit. All the Loreto Toorak community is proud of you, Teresa. If you would like to donate and support please visit the link: https://www.ukrainecrisisappeal.org/ #standwithukraine << Back to Stories
