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Project stories 1. When fate becomes inspiration

Project stories 1. When fate becomes inspiration

09.07.2025

Inspired by the popular series from the PBU Programme, we return with a new collection of stories – this time dedicated to projects implemented under the Interreg NEXT Poland – Ukraine 2021-2027 Programme.

We will showcase people, places, and activities that demonstrate how everyday life in the border regions is changing thanks to Polish–Ukrainian cooperation. We believe these stories will inspire further joint initiatives.

We invite you to read!

It happened that my mother ended up in hospital in Lviv. I was there with her, and since I have been doing projects for a long time, I thought it was important to write something for the hospital. This is now the main place in Ukraine where oncology patients are treated, as many hospitals are destroyed by the war

– recalls Mrs Christina Vodavenko.

It was there, at the hospital bedside, that the idea was born, which evolved into the project ‘Development of the Polish Ukrainian Cooperation Focused on Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment’ (acronym CADIT), co-financed by the Programme with almost 2.3 MEUR.

A call for proposals was just announced in Interreg PL-UA and we agreed with the doctor, the deputy director, that we would write this project. Through a friend in Cracow, where I live every day, we very quickly made contact with the hospital in Białystok. Our partners immediately agreed to work together.

Mrs Christina, a lawyer by profession, became manager of the Ukrainian part of the project. Her doctoral studies in Poland and her knowledge of the Polish language made it significantly easier to work with the partner and prepare the joint project.

We held an online meeting, discussed the concept and proceeded to write the project.

The Lviv Oncological Regional Therapeutic and Diagnostic Centre (UA) and the Białystok Oncology Centre (PL) have decided to tackle the challenge of early detection and treatment of cancer in their respective regions. The Ukrainian leader will purchase a CT scanner and the Polish partner will purchase endoscopic equipment. Doctors from Białystok will share their experience in radiological diagnosis and radiotherapy planning, while specialists from Lviv will pass on their knowledge of advanced endoscopic and laparoscopic technologies. All will also meet at the opening and closing conference of the project.

We are discovering for ourselves what we specialise in

– notes the project coordinator at the Bialystok hospital.

Oncology is developing all the time. The added value of cooperation is invaluable. The purchase of equipment is very important, but so is knowledge. We will be drawing from each other in fact.

Experiences are different in Białystok, others in Lviv. By combining all of these, we can find great new solutions together

– adds her Ukrainian project partner.

Both acknowledge that medicine is one of the best and most important fields for Polish-Ukrainian cooperation:

When it comes to medicine, everyone agrees that this cooperation must be sought, this agreement must be built, because it is simply worth it.

More details about the project can be found HERE.