What matters is not being fearless, but knowing how to act despite fear: Yuliia Dutchak, Ivano-Frankivsk

Yuliia is a doctor by profession. In 2022, after the start of the full-scale war, she joined the Ukrainian Red Cross because she wanted to do more than simply care about what people were going through — she wanted to take action and help them.

Today, Yuliia is a volunteer with the emergency response team and a first aid instructor. Together with her team, she responds to emergencies, helps people affected by attacks, provides first aid cover at public events and teaches others life-saving skills.

“For me, it’s important not to wait for help to arrive, but to be the person who brings that help.”

Yuliia admits that she sometimes feels afraid when responding to emergencies. But fear is a natural reaction, and for her, true courage means acting despite it. The team also plays an important role — knowing that she can rely on her colleagues in difficult situations gives her confidence.

What Yuliia values most are the moments when she sees the results of her training: people who were initially afraid even to approach a training manikin finish the session confidently performing first aid procedures.

For those considering volunteering, she advises them not to wait for the perfect moment:

“Don’t be afraid to take the first step. The most important thing is the desire to help. Everything else can be learned.”