My dear friend, Iryna Cady, who lived here in Fort Worth for many years, is a hardworking Ukrainian American who works now as an industrial engineer at Nestle in Chicago, IL. She is an animal lover and pet owner, who has been taking care of her mother since the war in Ukraine. Iryna has a vivacious sense of humor and is dearly loved by her friends.

Two months ago, Iryna sustained a head injury that left her feeling “not very well,” and asked for someone to call an ambulance. She was taken from her place of work to the emergency room, and her condition worsened. Iryna lost consciousness and had to be resuscitated.

Today she is still unconscious and on a ventilator. Iryna’s mother, Elena, who came here from Kiev, has shared the promising news that Iryna is out of critical care and responding to stimuli. Elena, who does not speak English, does not have access to Iryna’s bank accounts, health insurance, workman’s comp, or general utility accounts. Compounding the problem, Iryna’s apartment is 8 miles from the nearest bus stop, and since her aging mother does not know how to drive, she must rely on ride-sharing to go see Iryna. Elena is in the process of engaging an attorney to help her navigate the various legal and financial processes needed to ensure Iryna’s continued healthcare and maintain a home for both of them. Meanwhile, the bills and transportation costs continue to mount.

I can only imagine the stress that Iryna’s mother is under trying to care for Iryna and tend to her affairs, while wondering if the power will be on tomorrow. We are asking that Iryna’s friends, loved ones, and the concerned Ukrainian and Russian-speaking community contribute to this fund to help Iryna and Elena.