Personal Story
My name is Yuliya Antropova-Elder.
I am a native of Kaliningrad, Russia and immigrated to the United States
in 1998. I live in Rochester,
Minnesota.
Midwest for Kaliningrad came about because of a newspaper article.
I was reading an on-line newspaper of my hometown and found out that the
Kaliningrad Regional Oncology Clinic was given only $10,000 as an annual budget.
I was greatly astounded by that fact. What can you do with $10, 000 for
more than 140 patients? How is it possible to use such a small amount of money
to pay for equipment, instruments, medications, various medical supplies, food,
doctor’s salaries, maintenance etc.? By that time I had lived in the United
States for almost four years, and I had some idea of approximate amounts of
money that are being spent daily, weekly, monthly and ANNUALLY in the USA for a
medical facility of such size. Comparing those amounts certainly points out the
injustice of Russian method of budgeting of the health system.
I decided to do something about that.
First, I established contact via telephone with Vice Chief of that clinic
and asked them for their needs and current situation with medical supplies and
other areas of shortage. He was deeply touched and promptly sent me a list of
necessary medical equipment that they were lacking and his personal story
sharing his concerns and thoughts about the clinic and its patients.
We translated everything into English including the document authorizing
us to represent the clinic. See
Doctor's
Story and List
of Equipment.
I began to think of starting a non-profit organization, which would
become a way of collecting money and any tangible and intangible donations for
the sake of the clinic and its patients.
Finally the fund Midwest for
Kaliningrad was founded in July 2002. Moreover,
my husband and I made a resolution to donate some money to that fund and do it
continuously as often as we can afford. Then
I started asking my friends and relatives for donations and help to Midwest
for Kaliningrad. People were
very kind and understanding of our cause, and everyone contributed somehow. The
special box named “Donations: Midwest for Kaliningrad” has been created in
our family, and now, everyone in the family who has some loose change, $1-$5
bills, puts them in that box. In addition, I consider that box as a constant
reminder to all of us: “Do not
forget where you came from and do not forget to share”.
Also I kept reading the online newspaper of my city, and realized that I
would like to include one more area of philanthropy into the Midwest for
Kaliningrad program. I felt a great concern for the elderly people of my city.
I realized that elderly people were the ones who were most affected and
left out of the society when the Soviet Union collapsed.
Perestroika brought a great deal of opportunities for business-oriented
people and the young generation, but elderly people were not benefited by this
change in government. The Soviet
social programs fell apart when they discontinued receiving government
subsidies, and new programs were neither created nor supported. The old
generation was made to suffer without fault. They gave their lives and health to
the Soviet government, but they received nothing in return when the time to
retire came. Therefore, elderly people were left behind on their own to survive.
In October 2002 I went to Kaliningrad where I personally met with the
Director of Kaliningrad Oncology Clinic, Mr. Dovlaterii Dadyanov and Chief
Doctor of the Clinic, Mr. Velvil Mirochnik.
I was also introduced to the Head of Health Department of Kaliningrad
Regional Administration, Mr. Efim Krepak. All together we discussed the most
urgent needs of the clinic and the possibilities of our fund.
Please see Oncology
Clinic section.
Also, while I was in Kaliningrad, I found a nursing home, which is
located on Kartashova Street 68 in the City of Kaliningrad.
I personally met with the Director of the Kaliningrad Nursing Home, Ms.
Lubov Tishkova, and her personnel. What
delightful and dedicated people they are!!! Lubov Tishkova took me around the
nursing home and showed me their spartan facilities.
She introduced me to the elderly people residing there, and told me about
their crucial needs and problems. I
got a deep feeling that Lubov Tishkova is a very dedicated, honest, and kind
person. She manages to provide the
elderly people with warmth and relative comfort with what little money comes
from the local budget. At that time I already had with me some money from the
“Midwest for Kaliningrad” fund, therefore, I bought several items for the
nursing home, which were most needed for them and financially affordable for me.
Please see Nursing
Home section.
In conclusion, I want to say that I am going to continue developing and
supporting these two programs for the sake of the people of my hometown of
Kaliningrad. I am not able to help
all of the needy, but at least some of them will be helped in different ways.
With all my might I will try to bring as many people’s attention as I can to
the needs of these people, and together we will make a difference.
Also I hope that there are some Russian immigrants throughout the United
States who might start doing something similar and by doing so bring relief to
their suffering fellow countrymen. I still believe in Russian brotherhood and a
deep compassion as a unique trait of Russian character.
Yuliya Antropova-Elder
