Dream Doctors 17th Mission in Ukraine

Moose Toys has been a long-term partner of the Dream Doctors supporting the organisations refugee program in Ukraine since 2021.

This month the Dream Doctors started their 17th mission to help the Ukrainian people, this time crossing the border into Lviv, Ukraine. An area that is still under fire and experiences warning sirens regularly.

The Dream Doctors team, Nimrod, Vitaly and Agata made a quick stop first in Warsaw to lead an incredible 2-day workshop, organized by the JCC of Warsaw for a group of social workers and teachers who are working with Ukrainian Refugees from various organizations.

They were excited to spend time with, and support, the teams who are day-in, day-out creating a safe space and a healing environment for the displaced families of Ukraine.

The workshop taught them our Medical Clowning techniques, playing with problems, using nonverbal connection, learning games and tools for emotional expression, which they practiced together with the children from the local Ukrainian Day Care.

Nimrod, Vitaly & Agata then crossed the border into Ukraine, to visit Lviv where they were honored to join Early Starters International again, this time at two of their safe spaces in Lviv, Ukraine.

The Dream Doctors helped these children process their trauma and gave them some relief from the constant threat of attack.

These families have huge emotional needs after living in this way for so long, and it was emotional for the Dream Doctors too. For many of the children, their fathers are currently serving in the army.

They really felt the power of imagination, of human connection, of expressing emotions in a safe place, playing, crying and laughing together – all at once.

During this mission they also had a privilege to run a master class training for a group of Ukrainian medical clowns, who came from all over the country, some of them 15 hours traveling by train.

Their motivation is awesome and the Dream Doctors and Moose Toys and so happy to support them in this challenging time.

Agata from the Dream Doctors has said of the mission –

“This experience has been unique for me personally – it was my first mission to participate in with the Dream Doctors since I joined the organization few months ago.”

“I am deeply moved by the impact we brought daily and by the lessons we learned from the children, parents, local clowns in training, volunteers, social workers, Ukrainian leaders and simply people we’ve met on the streets of Warsaw and Lviv.

It was a trip of discovering the value of human connection, a hug, smiling and crying together.

The sounds of sirens and alarms of bombing not far from Lviv, people going to shelters and children missing their fathers who are in the army. But also the spirit of Ukrainian people, the hope and dream of peace.

We have worked with wonderful partner organizations – Early Starters International and JCC Warsaw, we have visited Lviv hospitals and were able to bring support using therapeutic clowning techniques and human connection, which is so valuable today inside the country that continues to be a war zone for over a year now.

I am honored I could experience it first hand, witness the art of medical clowning on the highest level and understand better and really feel the importance, impact and true beauty of what we do at the Dream Doctors.”

The Dream Doctors plan on making a 18th mission to the area and Moose Toys will be right beside them with support and a few moments of relief for the people impacted by this war

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