COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Like most 11-year-olds, Margarita Pavlovska is ready for Christmas.
“We have children whose parents are not able to present gifts to them and Lena [Denman] is very brave because she is here,” Pavlovska said.
In November, 15ABC’s Chris Talley introduced you to Lena Denman, President of the Arlene Campbell Humanitarian Foundation — a Brazos Valley non-profit helping send medical supplies to hospitals in Kyiv.
Since last year she has also raised funds to buy Christmas gifts for children in these hospitals. Pavlovska is recovering from a recent procedure.
“We did it because we were in the midst of this full-scale war for the first time and so it was the time and so it was a time period when the economy was more damaged than it had been previously and so we wanted kids to get that extra attention during the holidays,” Denman said.
Dr.Andrii Maksymenko is the Medical Director of the Ukrainian Children’s Cardiac Center in Kyiv.
He tells 15ABC’s Chris Talley, while there is still a high demand for medical care in the region, their doors remain open thanks to help from across the world.
“We are able to thanks to support of our friends, volunteers and foundations like the Arlene Campbell Foundation to provide care absolutely free of charge to the children of Ukraine as it was before the war,” Maksymenko said.
After undergoing a quick procedure, Margarita is ready to be home with her family.
She's already opened her gift, but she happily tells 15ABC’s Chris Talley of her other holiday request.
“[My wish for Christmas is that] war ends as quickly as possible and [kids in the U.S.] never know what it’s like to be in war — ever,” Pavlovska said.
And from Ukraine to the Brazos Valley Dr. Maksymenko and Margarita wish everyone -
“Merry Christmas.”
A link to the Arlene Campbell Humanitarian Foundation can be found here.