Northwest Territories pharmacist brings Ukrainian family to Canada

Fort Simpson, N.W.T., has come together to help a Ukrainian family move there, led by a local pharmacist. Pharmacist Andrii Panshyn, who is Ukrainian, was horrified when the war with Russia began. He heard that a friend, Varvara, and her daughter, Solomia, needed help, and immediately jumped in. “Her daughter is my goddaughter. So we’re like a family,” he told Cabin Radio. Panshyn, who came to Canada from Ukraine in 2011, met Varvara while still a teenager working part-time as a pharmacy assistant. Read: Helping Ukraine After the war started, he said, “I told her that, you know, probably she should move from Kyiv to a safer place, at least temporarily.” Vavara and her daughter got to the Polish border, and Panshyn helped find her a place to stay after that. He paid for her hotels and airline tickets, with both his own money and donations from the community and the Village of Fort Simpson. “In Fort Simpson, everyone knows everyone, and everyone knew that we’re from Ukraine. So of course, when all these things started, people are coming to the pharmacy or to my place asking how they can help, what they can do . . .. And then the village contacted me to ask how they can help,” he says. Read: Rounds: Canadian doctors helping Ukraine Panshyn is also sending money back to support the army and volunteers. He was originally considering going back to Ukraine to fight, but the country said financial support was more helpful from people without military experience. “They have people there. They are lacking resources. And if I can help somehow with resources, I’ll do that.” Vavara and her daughter are now staying in his house, with him and his family. They’re getting settled, with Solomia registering for kindergarten and Varvara getting a social insurance number so she can work. “In some ways it’s the typical path of the immigrant, similar to my experience, but the circumstances are so different. I was moving to Canada from a safe place. Their path was way more dangerous and complicated than mine. So we’re glad to help,” said Panshyn. Read: Pharmacies around the world donate money, medicine to help Ukraine

Northwest Territories pharmacist brings Ukrainian family to Canada

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