The 1992 Peace Cruise, sponsored by the Promoting Enduring Peace Group, arrived in the Ukraine on July 29, 1992. Three weeks later, on August 14, the Peace Cruise returned to the U.S., while I remained behind to work with Santa Rosa's sister-city in Ukraine, Cherkasy, where I conducted a clinic on diabetes management for children.

Besides providing much needed education on the management of diabetes, we were able to distribute a one-year supply of syringes, insulin and testing strips, as well as a few meters, to thirty children. A substantial portion of these desperately needed diabetic supplies were donated by members of the Diabetes Society of Sonoma County.

While in Cherkasy, I lived with a host-family who had volunteered to provide my accommodations. We shared a one-bedroom house between the five of us. Besides the parents, there were two children, Denis, age 11, and Oksana, age 9. We lived, ate and slept closely, but comfortably, together.

From 8:30 am through 5:00 pm, my American assistant Stephanie and I worked in the clinic. The medical staff was amazed by this schedule, as they are accustomed to working from 9:00 am through 3:00 pm. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we spent several hours each morning teaching basic diabetic information. The rest of the week was taken up in individual counseling and teaching blood testing techniques, with the help of a local interpreter. All services were provided free of charge. On the day set aside for distributing the diabetic supplies, one parent told me if the supplies had been given to the local hospitals officials, the people would never have received them." A sad but true comment.

The manufacture of insulin in Ukraine is prohibited, because technology is so poor that good quality insulin cannot be produced. Disposable syringes are virtually non-existent. Glass syringes which must be doiled after each use are the norm here. Due to the large size of the barrel on such syringes, accurate measurement of small doses is impossible.

While it is true that health care is free in Ukraine, the lack of supplies makes this almost useless. Diabetic management is non-existent, blood-testing is done once a month in hospital, if at all. There is no diabetic education available whatsoever.

I will be returning to Cherkasy next year. We are collecting supplies and cash on an ongoing basis.