Knights in Ukraine support injured soldiers in Lviv hospitals with regular visits
By Solomiia Karpiv
As Ukraine’s hospitals remain overwhelmed with injured soldiers and veterans, members of St. John Bosco Parish Council 16846 in Lviv, Ukraine, have become a crucial source of support for the hospitalized wounded, offering not only material aid but also emotional support through frequent visits.
Council 16846 — which helped organize the first Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids distribution in Ukraine in 2023 — has long prioritized visiting the sick among its corporal works of mercy. Part of the council’s outreach has included annual visits to three children’s hospitals on St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6, to distribute gifts to the young patients. But over the past three years, Knights have expanded their holiday hospital ministry to include visiting wounded soldiers at five additional hospitals in Lviv and the surrounding region.
“This year marks the sixth year we have been visiting the sick,” said Grand Knight Vasyl Zvarych. “On St. Nicholas Day, we distributed around 600 gifts to children and about 450 gifts to soldiers in hospitals.”
District Deputy Mykhailo Chipak, who participates in these hospital visits, explained that the Knights now visit wounded soldiers in hospitals at least once a week if not more, depending on availability and resources. Some patients, he explained, do not need material aid as much as they need companionship.
“When I visit them, I feel that talking with them for a few minutes is the least I can do,” Chipak said. “Sometimes, they don’t need anything but a conversation. It’s this connection that motivates me to spend time with them and make them feel they’re not alone.”
Chipak noted that gaining the trust of wounded soldiers can be challenging, as many are reluctant to talk, especially while dealing with trauma.
“But with patience and regular visits, they start to open up,” he added. “The moments when soldiers, not expecting any support, find comfort in a few words and the presence of caring people are particularly meaningful.”
The Knights also help ease daily life for wounded soldiers by providing adaptive clothing —special garments designed for those with limited mobility. Since many of the wounded cannot dress themselves in regular clothing after injuries, adaptive clothing is crucial. These garments, including shirts and underwear, are either sewn at the parish or donated by local companies.
During one visit, Zvarych had a particularly moving experience after delivering clothing to a wounded soldier.
“This soldier could not wear a regular T-shirt due to losing a limb,” Zvarych recalled. “When he received the adaptive clothing from us, he simply cried. He was a Japanese man who arrived to fight for Ukraine, with no family here. Moments like these are incredibly important. He was very grateful for that.”
An essential part of the Knights’ mission is their collaboration with the Brothers and Sisters Community, a parish group of both men and women, including Knights and their families, who work alongside Council 16846 to visit the sick, collect supplies and provide material assistance to the wounded.
Natalia Chipak, Mykhailo’s wife and an active member of the Brothers and Sisters Community, said the group’s regular hospital visits began when she and her husband went to visit their niece, who had been in an accident and was receiving treatment. Before the visit, she decided to bring adaptive clothing for the soldiers.
“I distributed 43 pairs of adaptive underwear, just in a few of the hospital’s departments,” Natalia recalled. This marked the beginning of their regular visits, bringing hygiene products, clothing and even home-baked goods prepared by other volunteers.
The group does not actively raise money for aid but relies on the generosity of friends, family members and parishioners who donate items or provide financial support, explained Natalia. Its partnership with the Knights of Columbus is vital, as the Knights supply clothing, rosaries and other essentials for soldiers in hospitals.
“We work together,” Natalia said. “The men typically handle physically demanding tasks, like carrying heavy items, while the women assist with organizing and packing supplies.
“Every time we visit the hospital, we ask the soldiers what they need,” she continued. “Sometimes, they request help obtaining medicine, legal consultations, or assistance in contacting relatives, especially if they are from abroad. Other times, they just need someone to talk to.”
For the Knights, the mission is not only to provide material support but to offer the comfort of human connection.
“Sometimes, we meet soldiers wounded at the front who have no one to turn to. Their families may have left the country, leaving them with no support system,” Zvarych said. “I understand that there are other volunteers, but I always want to help wherever I see a need.”