USA, Romania, Moldova — Jan 30, 2024 — Blue Heron Foundation, a small NGO known for its work with at-risk youth in Romania and Moldova, supported and financed medical care for over 160 Ukrainian refugees whose cancer treatments were disrupted by the ongoing war. A report published today in The Lancet Oncology, one of the world’s top medical journals, highlighted the foundation's role in helping to save the lives of Ukrainian cancer patients who fled to Moldova and Romania, leaving behind treatment plans due to severely disrupted cancer services.

"In the midst of the wartime turmoil, patients with cancer in Ukraine faced extended wait times for diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy centers had to absorb a rapid influx of internally displaced patients, and there was a shortage of surgical materials," the report states. Each month cancer treatment is delayed, mortality risk increases by as much as 13%. The Blue Heron Foundation "had an essential role in bridging the gap between refugees and their cancer specialists, to overcome barriers and greatly reduce delays."

The program was spearheaded by Dr. Horia Vulpe, a Romanian Canadian radiation oncologist practicing in the United States.

The program financed cancer treatments, helped local doctors manage an influx of Ukrainian patients, and organized medical evacuations from Ukraine. It assisted patients with transportation, places to stay, registration paperwork, coordination of care, interpretation at medical appointments, and resources for psychosocial support. Blue Heron's one-on-one comprehensive assistance together meant that Ukrainian cancer patients were integrated in the medical system in a matter of days, drastically reducing barriers to care and helping save countless lives. The program’s collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (the UN migration agency), the Institute of Oncology in Moldova, and a wide network of partnering cancer clinics in Romania was instrumental its rapid and durable success in helping vulnerable patients.

"This is a novel approach to humanitarian work in oncology. It proves that collaboration and teamwork among cancer professionals and international organization can save the lives of cancer patients by reducing delays, overcoming barriers, and financing care for refugees in a time of war." - Dr. Horia Vulpe, Director of Cancer Care Programs for the Blue Heron Foundation.

Full article available online with free registration to Lancet Oncology. Article link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(23)00629-0/fulltext

Horia Vulpe, MD, CM, FRCPC

Director, Cancer Care Programs

Blue Heron Foundation, Beverly Hills, CA

Radiation Oncologist

Kaiser Permanente, Dublin, CA

Bio:

Dr. Vulpe spent his early childhood in Romania before moving to Canada, where he studied medicine at McGill University and radiation oncology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Vulpe has worked at Columbia University in New York, the Queen’s Cancer Center in Honolulu where he was also Director of Quality and Patient Safety, and currently professes at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Dublin, California. Dr. Vulpe is passionate about improving the quality of cancer care worldwide. He regularly speaks at Romanian national oncology meetings and organizes symposia on advanced radiation treatments. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Dr. Vulpe has devoted himself to humanitarian work as the Director of Cancer Care Programs at the Blue Heron Foundation where he helps refugees access life-saving cancer treatments in Romania and Moldova. For his international work, Dr. Vulpe has been named an ASCO Global Oncology Young Investigator, McGill Medicine Young Alumnus, University of Toronto Radiation Oncology Alumnus of the Year, and received the Robert Sheppard Award for Health Equity and Social Justice.

Contact: info@horiavulpe.com 

 Horiavulpe.com

Stefania Magidson

Founder and President

Blue Heron Foundation, Beverly Hills, CA

Bio:

Established in 2002, the Blue Heron Foundation (BHF) is a non-profit organization operating in the USA, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova. It provides university scholarships and mentorship support to vulnerable youth, ensuring that 100% of donations go directly to beneficiaries. Since February 2022, BHF has developed twelve humanitarian aid programs to support Ukrainian refugees, particularly in oncology care.

Contact: info@blueheronfoundation.org