Soccer star David Beckham handed the reins to his Instagram account with 71.6 million followers to a Ukrainian doctor over the weekend, giving a glimpse into how she’s treating her patients amid the Russian invasion.
Iryna, the head of the regional perinatal center in Ukraine, took over Beckham’s account Sunday, filming a first-person view as she cared for pregnant mothers and newborn babies in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and an early Russian target in its invasion.
“Today, I’m handing over my social media to Iryna,” Beckham said in a video post on Sunday. “There, she is working with pregnant mothers to help them give birth safely. Thanks to your donations, the oxygen generators they have received are helping newborns survive appalling conditions.”
In her videos, the doctor documents her rounds in the underground portion of the hospital as new mothers cradle their infants in a dark, cramped basement. Iryna, who only gave her first name, said she has been working nonstop since the invasion began over three weeks ago.
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“On the first day of the war, all pregnant women and mothers were evacuated to the basement. It was a terrible three hours that we spent together,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “Unfortunately, we can’t take babies who are in intensive care to the basement, because they rely on life-saving equipment.”
Kharkiv has been an early target of Russian attacks, with daily attacks of missiles and rockets since the invasion began. Officials reportedly say at least 250 civilians have died so far, although many warn it’s not a complete toll.
Iryna said the first few days were the most difficult, as hospital workers had to adjust from working in normal conditions to operating amid bombings and strikes. She said she has also taken on extra responsibilities, not only working as the head of the center but also administering anesthesia, unloading cargo, streamlining logistics, and offering emotional support.
During her account takeover, Iyrna also highlighted one of her patients, Yana, who had just given birth to a son.
“On the second day of war, he was born with breathing problems,” she wrote. “He is better now. But his family’s house was destroyed and they can’t go back.”
Beckham teamed up with UNICEF, a humanitarian aid organization of which he is an ambassador, to send supplies to families affected by the war in Ukraine. Part of this effort includes sending oxygen generators to the hospital where Iryna works and ready-to-use maternity kits.
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There have been more than 43 attacks on healthcare facilities since the beginning of the war, according to an update from the World Health Organization on Wednesday. More than 3 million people have fled Ukraine since Feb. 24, when the invasion began, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Despite the risky conditions, Iryna said she and the other hospital workers have no plans to leave.
“We are probably risking our lives, but we don’t think about it at all. We love our work,” she said. “Doctors and nurses here, we worry, we cry, but none of us will give up.”
