President Zelensky honours UCD project training medical first responders in Ukraine
4 December 2025
President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, presenting a Golden Heart Award to Emeritus Professor Gerard Bury, UCD School of Medicine and UCD Centre for Emergency Services, in recognition of his co-founding the UCD Ukraine Trauma Project
A University College Dublin project providing advanced training in pre-hospital emergency care of trauma-related casualties to civilian and military first responders in Ukraine has been honoured with a state award by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, during his first official visit to Ireland.
Representatives of the UCD Ukraine Trauma Project who received a Golden Heart Award were the founders of the project, (opens in a new window)Emeritus Professor Gerard Bury, UCD School of Medicine and UCD Centre for Emergency Services; the co-lead of the project, (opens in a new window)Professor Chris Fitzpatrick, UCD School of Medicine; and Dr Lyudmyla Zakharchenko, UCD School of Medicine.
The Golden Heart award is a presidential honor established in 2022 by President Volodymyr Zelensky to recognise volunteers for their significant contributions to Ukraine. The award is presented annually to individuals and organisations for their work in areas such as defense support, medical assistance, and humanitarian aid.
Dr Lyudmyla Zakharchenko, Emeritus Professor Gerard Bury, and Professor Chris Fitzpatrick, who were each presented a Golden Heart Award by President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, in recognition of the UCD Ukraine Trauma Project
The UCD Ukraine Trauma Project was set up in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and builds on the experience and expertise of Advanced Paramedics and doctors from the Irish health services, who act as trainers for their Ukrainian counterparts.
Training in advanced care techniques is complemented by the provision of drugs and advanced care equipment, not generally available to frontline carers in Ukraine.
Nine training missions have trained approximately 600 colleagues, and almost 1,500 kits have been distributed. Generous support from HSE Global Health, the Irish Red Cross, UCD and Irish philanthropy has raised more than €1.4 million to fund the project delivered by over 50 volunteers from healthcare and other backgrounds.
President Zelensky bestowed the state awards on the representatives of the UCD Ukraine Trauma Project at an official event attended by UCD President Professor Orla Feely and UCD Vice-President for Global Engagement Professor Dolores O'Riordan.
Together with First Lady Olena (opens in a new window)@ZelenskaUA, we met with representatives of University College Dublin who are helping Ukraine implement advanced frontline emergency medical techniques. I expressed my gratitude and presented them with the “Golden Heart” award.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) (opens in a new window)December 2, 2025
Irish professionals,… (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/MKigeAaq8E
“The equipment, drugs and training provided in advanced pre-hospital care techniques reflect best practice by Irish emergency services but are largely unavailable to many frontline emergency carers in Ukraine,” said UCD Ukraine Trauma Project Founder, Emeritus Professor Gerard Bury.
“I would like to acknowledge the extraordinary work of individuals and groups from Ireland with whom we have worked in Ukraine, such as One4Humanity and also to thank the people of Ireland, the HSE and the Irish Red Cross for their great generosity,” he said.
At a separate event hosted by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless and attended by Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelensk, a Letter of Intent was co-signed by University College Dublin and the Fund of the President of Ukraine for Education, Science and Sports.
The letter signals University College Dublin’s commitment to continuing and expanding its academic collaboration with Ukrainian partners, particularly in One Health, Health Resilience, and Capacity Strengthening.
By: Dominic Martella, Head of External Communication, Media Relations and Content, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
