Recently, we celebrated the heart-warming news that our dear friend Nicole Cook and her husband Dave were going to be welcoming a baby daughter.  After years of heartache and exhausting all fertility options in Australia, this miracle baby is coming to them via surrogacy, with the support of a wonderful woman in Ukraine called Elena.

And now, only a week before they were scheduled to depart for the birth of their daughter, the Russian military invaded Ukraine and turned Elena’s world upside down.

At 37 weeks pregnant, Elena, along with her fiancé and young son had to flee Kyiv, seeking safety and access to medical services for herself and baby Cook.  She does not know when or if she will be able to return to her home, when she will see the rest of her family or how she will get work or access funds to help her navigate this crisis.

This is a very real story about two brave and strong mothers who are coming together to protect each other and their children to make the impossible possible. Nicole and Dave are doing everything they possibly can to navigate these challenging circumstances and find a way to support Elena.

If like us your heart is breaking watching the devastation unfold in Ukraine and you wish that there was some way you could help… this is one way you can. Those of us who know and love Nicole and Dave are coming together to raise funds for Elena. These donations are not for Nicole and Dave…. they will go directly to Elena and her family to help provide them with basic necessities such as accommodation, food, travel, expenses, medical care etc, as they continue their journey to safety, either within Ukraine, or in a neighbouring country as refugees. Any funds that exceed Elena’s needs will go directly to the following charity: Global Giving - Ukraine Crisis Relief.

Any contribution, no matter how small will be greatly appreciated and will go a long way to helping a beautiful family rebuild their lives.

We have included a video of Elena and her family of happier times in Kyiv.