Firstly I apologise for returning for a fifth time to ask for your support with crowdfunding medical aid for Ukraine, but the need is every bit as acute as in previous appeals. However, we have had to adapt; drones have changed everything. Converted 4x4 ambulances - the subject of our earlier appeals - can no longer be used for evacuating the injured as they are easily targeted and destroyed. Pickup trucks were our next approach, but despite working stealthily, with speed and only at night, many were lost. Now the injured have to wait for many hours, frequently days to be evacuated, often by unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Such long delays have introduced another major hazard - hypothermia. This enormously increases the risk of death from otherwise survivable injuries, with shock and acidosis, and failure of blood clotting.

The NGO team with whom we work in Kyiv has over the past 6 months developed, and now manufacture a new evacuation system that prevents hypothermia: Cocoon. This is a compact 3-in-1 system; evacuation cocoon/stretcher, thermal protection, and chemical heat sources in one ready-to-use package. It’s entirely made in Ukraine and is deployable quickly. The tough outer cocoon is made from Cordura and measures 240 × 120 cm. It has six carrying handles, two towing points and an EVA insulating layer beneath the casualty to reduce heat loss and provide some protection from hard and/or cold surfaces. When vacuum-packed it measures only 17 x 30 cm and weighs 2kg so fits easily into a backpack. In use, the casualty is placed inside the cocoon, wrapped in the waterproof thermal blanket and provided with activated heat packs positioned around the chest and pelvis. The cocoon is then closed and can be carried by hand, dragged, fitted into a hard stretcher (see caption photo), loaded onto a UGV, or transferred directly into an evacuation vehicle.

The development costs of Cocoon have been met entirely by us - that is you, our donors. Cocoon is already in service, though clearly will have its greatest impact as winter appears. Early use and very positive feedback has encouraged continuing development and modification. Each Cocoon costs £66 and we aim to buy at least 100 from this appeal. In addition we wish to buy staple aid: tourniquets, chest seals, haemostats, anti-drone nets, and deliver these as soon as feasible to our other NGO in Poltava using a 4x4 vehicle we have already funded.

We are hoping to raise £10,000 to help fund these purchases. Please remember, everything you donate goes directly to our 2 NGOs to help Ukraine. Everything counts. We fund our own transport and travel expenses.