Canadian volunteer joins Ukraine ambulance mission from Munich to Kyiv

Duck Paterson, a Canadian volunteer, joined a Ukraine Focus mission to deliver used ambulances and medical supplies to Ukraine. He first learned about the mission from his friend Peter Shepherd, who had made the trip in May.

Ukraine Focus founder Brock Bierman visited Chemainus to meet Shepherd. After nearly three hours of conversation, Paterson asked how to join the mission and was accepted.

“Are you interested? Yes. You're in.”

Paterson spent almost four months convincing family and friends that he was not making a mistake. He said he wanted to help people thousands of kilometres away and experience something far removed from his normal life.

Volunteers paid their own expenses, including flights, accommodation, meals and fuel. Each used ambulance cost about 10,000 dollars. Local donations helped Paterson cover his share, leaving more organizational funds for medical equipment and supplies.

The mission assembled in Munich, Germany, where 52 ambulances, four SUVs and two armoured Volkswagen vans awaited delivery. The least-used ambulance had already travelled more than 290,000 kilometres.

Paterson left Nanaimo on October 2 and arrived in Munich the next morning. Volunteers gathered at the Moxy Hotel before the October 5 departure. The group was expected to include 63 people from several countries.

Their first gathering took place at Munich's Oktoberfest. Paterson said he was struck by the warmth of the group despite being the only Canadian.