Feb 2020

The Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario (ACMAO) is reaching out to you today in hopes that you can help us with an urgent humanitarian project.

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As a result of the recent war in Artsakh, many have sustained severe injuries, including shrapnel wounds, burns and amputations. They require medical care, as well as rehabilitation of their physical and mental health. Armenia has been helping its people to the best of its abilities, however, its healthcare resources are being rapidly depleted. Furthermore, the dramatic increase in COVID-19 in Armenia over the last 2 months has strained an already overburdened healthcare system.   

ACMAO is currently working with a number of different local and international organizations, including the United Armenian Council of Ontario (UACO), to meet the physical and mental health rehabilitation needs of our people. Ongoing initiatives include: 

• The Eternal Nation Foundation, whose aim is to rebuild the lives of wounded soldiers and civilians, is launching large-scale physical, mental and vocational rehabilitation projects in Armenia. 

• The Armenian American Sports Medicine Coalition (AASMC), is collecting supplies for rehabilitation facilities in Armenia and Artsakh. The AASMC is also recruiting professionals in the field of rehabilitation medicine to volunteer in Armenia or to provide peer-to-peer support via tele-conferencing to help manage complex clinical cases.   

• To address the short and long-term mental health rehabilitation needs of our people, the Armenian Psychiatric Association has conducted a needs assessment and developed a 15-step plan that seeks to bolster mental health accessibility in Armenia and Artsakh over the next five years. 

• The Armenian Mental Health Initiative (AMHI) is developing an online resource library containing videos, documents and worksheets that address the most common and pressing mental health issues faced by our people during these trying times. They are also recruiting mental health professionals from the Diaspora to provide peer-to-peer telesupport for healthcare workers in Armenia looking for advice or resources on how to better manage the needs of patients with complex mental health issues.   

In the spirit of giving, please consider contributing in the following ways:

1. Donate directly to the ACMAO fundraising campaign in support of rehabilitation initiatives and share our fundraising initiatives among your networks https://www.acmao.ca

2. Purchase medical supplies in lieu of a gift:   https://www.myregistry.com/organization/humanitarian-aid-uaco-north-york-on/2659206/giftlist (expired)

3. Send a letter to your hospitals, suppliers and ask for donations. Please reach out to ACMAO for a sample letter and a list of high-priority items.

4. Participate in an ACMAO working group such as the humanitarian, rehabilitation, membership and social media sub-committees

5. Donate to "Support Armenian Wounded and Disabled: in Memory of David Harutyunyan" fund. To honor David's memory, we are happy to partner with his parents, Susanna and Samvel, to raise money as part of the Armenia Disabled Sport Federation. For more details see the link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/support-armenian-wounded-and-disabled-in-memory-of/

Thank you so much for your generous contribution and continued support. We remain stronger united.

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Update: NOVEMBER 29, 2020