Osteos for Refuge
Providing osteopathic care to refugees around the globe.
@osteosforrefuge
Who we are
We are two friends; myself, and Claire, owner of The Maris Practice www.themarispractce.com.
We created Osteos for Refuge in response to Putin's invasion on Ukraine, and the news of the enormous refugee crisis that immediately followed. It consisted mainly of women and children and we knew that we had a service to offer that could help, so in early April '22 we travelled to a hostel in Krakow, Poland run by the charity Fundacja Wolo Nam.
What we found overwhelmed us - the sheer volume of refugees arriving continuously following days of travel fleeing the conflict.
They were hungry, emotional, exhausted, lost and in shock.
Fundacja Wolno Nam
The open hearts of the passionate and tireless staff who greeted us was humbling and we will always be grateful to them for accepting us into their safe space.
We set up a makeshift treatment couch in the corner of the playroom that was full of children, and quickly set to work.
It quickly became clear how important it was to treat the whole family unit.
The shock, and sense of displacement and loss was palpable; the mothers often taking it all on themselves to protect their children.
Late April '22
When our time came to leave, we knew we had to return, and we did so a few weeks later.
The change that greeted us in the hostel was huge; it was less transient following the initial influx of refugees moving to other cities and countries, and more like a temporary home for the hundred-plus refugees.
The need for us was different too - there was less of a general sense of shock and loss and more a need for general treatments, not just for the refugees, but the staff and volunteers who were exhausted from the endless hours since the war began.
Osteos for Refuge
Before we went to Poland, we believed we could help but weren't truly sure as we are not medical care providers, however once we had arrived, we found so much need for osteopathic treatment and care.
The feedback we were given was incredible, and we hope to continue providing osteopathic support to refugees when we can and when the global circumstances allow it.
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