Edmonton’s Ukrainian community rallying around refugee mother struck by SUV on Whyte Ave
Posted March 20, 2024 4:47 pm.
Edmonton’s Ukrainian community is asking for help after a mother of three and recent Ukrainian refugee was the victim of a hit and run on Whyte Avenue Monday.
Olga Demianchuk, 38, and her family have only been in Canada for a little over a year, fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Demianchuk was taking her daughter to school when they crossed the street at a marked crosswalk at Whyte Avenue and 97 Street. It’s believed the woman pushed her child out of harm’s way before being hit.
Demianchuk is dealing with serious injuries. Her six-year-old girl was not physically hurt.
While police found the Dodge Journey that’s believed to have hit her, the search for the driver continues.
“And unfortunately, it was her six-year-old daughter that was with her when she sustained these serious, serious injuries. She’s concerned about the child, we all are, because the child has witnessed something extremely traumatic,” said Janice Krissa, the co-founder of Edmonton’s Free Store for Ukrainian Newcomers.
Demianchuck volunteered at the thrift shop that provides free, donated clothes, toys and household items to Ukrainian refugees arriving in Edmonton.
Her friends at the Free Store say Demianchuk faces a long road to recovery.
“Both of her arms are broken, her pelvis is broken, she’s awaiting surgery,” Krissa told CityNews. “Her arms will have to be operated on, her pelvis will have to be operated on.”
Organizers are fundraising online to cover expenses for the family. Demianchuck’s husband was forced to stop working while caring for his wife and the three children.
Complicating things further, according to Krissa, is that the family doesn’t speak English – a challenge when trying to navigate Canada’s medical and legal system.
“There’s a lot of support that’s needed with asking questions in the hospital, asking questions about the police report,” Krissa said. “There’s potentially going to be criminal charges. It’s a very scary experience. They’re new to Canada.”
Those who advocate for Edmonton’s Ukrainian community say the language barrier also makes it difficult for the family to receive proper mental-health supports, adding that’s something many Ukrainian refugees in Canada are forced to deal with.
“We do have a few psychologists that we work with, that speak Ukrainian and are able to help support, but given the thousands of people here and the trauma they’re facing, it’s not enough for sure,” said Orysia Boychuk, the provincial coordinator at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Alberta Provincial Council.
