Solutions to win: Hospitallers medical battalion launches initiative to support Ukraine’s armed forces by planting cotton from California

The Price of Freedom volunteer team from the Hospitallers medical battalion gives germinated cotton seeds in exchange for donations to Ukraine's military.

The Hospitallers medical volunteer battalion reported that on Facebook.

What is the problem?

During fierce battles, Ukrainian defenders receive injuries of varying degrees of severity.

"The wounded are brought directly from the field on armored cars – we are the first point of providing qualified medical assistance," the battalion explains.

The volunteer medics are the first to respond to the wounded, trying their best to help them. The effectiveness of first aid will ultimately determine the outcome of the wounded. Having access to medical resources that can help stabilize the condition of a wounded soldier is critical.

What is the solution?

The Price of Freedom volunteer team offers germinated cotton seeds. The goal is to collect 87,900 hryvnias for Halo double-pack occlusive bandages for Ukrainian defenders.

Occlusive stickers are used in case of chest injuries to prevent air from entering the wound.

How does it work?

The team says it is not easy to grow cotton in Ukraine, so "small live cotton babies" were brought to Ukraine from California and germinated in Ukrainian soil so that a beautiful bouquet could be obtained in the fall.

^{Photo: the Hospitallers Medical Volunteer Battalion}

Volunteers previously tested how to grow a plant at home.

Cotton is recommended to be grown like oleander or like a banana (the ideal temperature for the plant should be 20–25°C, and the minimum – 15°C).

^{Photo: the Hospitallers Medical Volunteer Battalion}

Also, cotton should be placed in a sunny place, and in the fall, it should be illuminated with photo lamps. In addition, the plant needs tomato fertilizer once every two weeks and fertile soil (with a pH of 5.5–7.5).

"Watch for the first flowering, which is almost like in Zhadan's [Serhiy Zhadan – famous Ukrainian poet, writer, and singer – ed.] song. Enjoy the special crimson leaves. Be patient and wait for the bloom," the volunteers comment.

^{Photo: the Hospitallers Medical Volunteer Battalion}

How to join the charity fundraiser

You need to write to the team on Facebook or Instagram:

• make a payment from 500 hryvnias to the card 4441111153959014 with the purpose of payment "for freedom cotton,"
• send a receipt, and receive a plant sprout (in person in Kyiv or by mail across Ukraine).

The organizers plan to release merch to support the project, plus, responding to many requests, Ukrainians can become cotton cultivation curators.

For reference:

The Hospitallers is a volunteer organization of paramedics that has actively participated in the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014.

The organization provides first aid and evacuates wounded Ukrainian soldiers and civilians from the hottest areas of the front.

It should be noted that the Dobrobut medical network is launching a new physical rehabilitation department in the medical and diagnostic center near Sevastopol Square.

In Dnipro, amputees who use prostheses are given the chance to do Nordic walking with the help of prosthetists and instructors. Afterward, they get to play football, which helps them learn how to move quickly with their prosthesis.

The correspondent of Rubryka attended one Nordic walking training session. Read more about it in our article: "Men of Steel: How fighters get used to prosthetics through Nordic walking and football."