SAN DIEGO — Two San Diegans arrived in Poland this week, with the goal of making a difference. Dr. Kelly Swords and firefighter Eric Hille landed in Warsaw on Monday morning.
"I don’t know that it’s really hit me, that we’re going to the border of Poland and Ukraine, to be honest," said Dr. Swords.
She's working with a group called Sauveteurs San Frontieres, a French organization of medical professionals helping Ukrainian refugees.
CBS 8 caught up with Dr. Swords on Sunday as she was getting ready to leave San Diego.
Their medical tent is one of the first things refugees see as they're crossing into Poland.
"The doctors there are seeing hypothermia, they’re seeing people who left their medicine behind, so they need to figure out what medicine they’re on," said Dr. Swords.
She said her colleagues are also treating injuries like gunshot wounds. In addition to that, there's psychological trauma.
"They’re seeing people who had husbands shot in front of them as they ran, they’re seeing people who starved in basements," she added.
San Miguel Firefighter Eric Hille also confirmed to CBS 8 he landed in Warsaw on Monday.
CBS 8 interviewed him last month as he formed the non-profit, Project Joint Guardian, with firefighters from around the world. His group will spend the next several days working to deliver firefighting equipment to fire departments in Ukraine.
Dr. Swords says the hope is they can have an impact on the people there who need help the most.
"One of the women I know came who is also from San Diego, not a medical person, but she is delivering goods, she said that the amount of comfort you give them by just telling them, it’s going to be okay, and we’re here for you is incredible," said Dr. Swords.
To donate to Sauveteurs sans frontieres click here.
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