Suburban doctor returns to Ukraine border with more medical supplies, hopes of reaching Kyiv

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Chicago area physician Dr. Zaher Sahloul is on his way back to Ukraine for the second time in less than a month, again with dozens of suitcases full of medical supplies.

"It's important to say things and important to condemn the brutality of the Russians, but it is more important to stand with the people of Ukraine," he said.

Sahloul leads the Chicago-based humanitarian group MedGlobal, which provides medical care and training in war zones around the world. Last month, they brought critical supplies to the Poland-Ukraine border and Lviv in western Ukraine.

RELATED: Naperville doctors leave for Polish-Ukraine border with $500K in medical supplies

On this trip, Shaloul hopes to head deeper into the country, and make it to Kyiv.

"When you have bombing of hospitals, like what's happening in Ukraine, then the healthcare system will be impacted and affected," he said.

He has witnessed the aftermath of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, and fearing similar attacks in Ukraine his team will be training doctors on how to respond.

RELATED: Suburban doctor returns from Ukraine border after delivering $500K in medical supplies

"These are things that you don't learn in medical school, you don't learn in training. We had to learn it the hard way in Syria," Sahloul said.

Christ Hospital physician Dr. Mila Felder has helped MedGlobal gather donations. She is originally from Ukraine and still has friends there.

"People over there need to feel that they're not alone, that they're supported. And Dr. Sahloul and others traveling there to say very personally, one on one, "I'm here for you", I think is why it feels very meaningful to do this," she said.