On July 27, in Kyiv, and in honor of Medical Workers’ Day, the annual award ceremony of the Order of Saint Panteleimon took place, recognizing distinguished representatives of the medical community with this prestigious public accolade.
Pharmaceutical company Farmak and the Zhebrivski Family Charitable Foundation supported the initiative by allocating UAH 2.3 million toward its realization.
The Order of Saint Panteleimon is a distinguished public award honoring excellence in medicine, science, philanthropy, and public service. It also acknowledges international partners who support Ukrainian healthcare during its most challenging times.
This year, the award recognized:
• 28 civilian medical professionals
• 14 military medics
• 9 medical institutions,
as well as international partners from Germany, Canada, Poland, Switzerland, the USA, and other countries.
Among the laureates are courageous, resilient, and extraordinary individuals. One such person is Andriy Temnohorov from Donetsk region, a sergeant and head of the medical unit of the 1st battalion of the 12th Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. Since 2020, he has progressed from a medical orderly to the head of a medical station. He initiated innovative measures that significantly reduced mortality on the front line — including military telemedicine, delivery of medicines via drones, and systematic blood donation among soldiers.
Another remarkable recipient is Maksym Hrynenko, a military paramedic from the Kharkiv region, who spent most of his life in Australia but returned to Ukraine and joined the Armed Forces. Under enemy fire, he successfully evacuated 12 wounded soldiers from the battlefield in a single mission.
Also recognized was Anton Kopylyk from Sumy region, a junior lieutenant in the medical service and a resident doctor in the department of reconstructive surgery at military unit A4799. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he has performed 83 surgeries and evacuated 689 wounded soldiers, often working under extreme conditions — in basements, rural clinics, and under shelling — wherever urgent care was needed.
“The contribution of every medical worker to the health and well-being of the nation is invaluable — especially during a full-scale war, when doctors, paramedics, nurses, and everyone involved in healthcare stand on the front lines every day. Not with weapons, but with knowledge, experience, compassion, and courage. These incredible people hold their line in hospitals, operating rooms, field units, and under fire, often in the harshest physical and emotional conditions. They save what is most precious — human life. Our gratitude must be backed by recognition and honor. That is why we continue to support the Order of Saint Panteleimon initiative each year. Society must know and value its heroes and their daily acts of bravery,”
– stated Filia Zhebrovska, Chair of the Supervisory Board at Farmak and Founder of the Zhebrivski Family Charitable Foundation.
This year marked the ninth consecutive ceremony in which Farmak and the Zhebrivski Family Charitable Foundation served as partners. In total, nearly UAH 12 million has been contributed to support the initiative over the years.
