Your generous donation helps to save and change lives every day.
Your charitable investment will go toward ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need.
Overview
The Need
International Medical Relief has expanded our field operations to Ukraine relief efforts to accommodation centers in Poland. We always work toward sustainable long-term impact strategies that will transform tomorrow for so many. From securing much-needed medical supplies and equipment to standing shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues to provide medical and mental health support and be part of the solution, join us for an impactful trip as we work alongside our NGO partners to bring relief to the refugees. Education is always at the forefront of our work with resources being dedicated to infectious disease prevention, health and hygiene.
International Medical Relief has partners in Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Transnistria, and Romania. Throughout this conflict, IMR will focus on the people first. The safety and security of our team is paramount. We are thoughtful, deliberate, and responsible in our strategic planning. As we serve, we will do so in a matter that honors those who are fleeing their homes, leaving their families, and seeking safety in neighboring countries.
This Mission
Ukrainian Refugees began crossing into Poland at the onset of the crisis. Most of those fleeing Ukraine are women and children. International Medical Relief has expanded our field operations into Poland where we provide medical care and education in the Welcome Centers where Ukrainian guests live and transition into Europe. We always work toward sustainable long-term impact strategies that will transform tomorrow for so many. From securing much-needed medical supplies and equipment to standing shoulder to shoulder with our colleagues to provide medical and mental health support, we work to be part of the solution.
Lodging/Transportation
On this Signature trip, you’ll be staying in safe, clean, comfortable accommodations with upgraded amenities during your week in Warsaw.
Highlights
Join IMR for a meaningful journey to support Ukrainian refugees in Warsaw by ringing in the spirit of the season of giving. Experience the warmth of giving back while immersing yourself in the festive ambiance of Poland’s Christmas Market.
Embark on a guided tour through Warsaw’s enchanting streets, where traditional sights intertwine with the magic of Christmas. Marvel at Sigismund’s Column, St. John’s Cathedral, and St. Anne’s Cathedral, while delving into the rich tapestry of Polish Christmas traditions. Learn about the symbolism behind Polish Christmas trees, the legend of St. Nicholas, and the captivating Jasełka performances.
As we explore, we’ll also delve into the unique experience of celebrating Christmas during communist rule, with a visit to the iconic “bar mleczny” or milk bar. Here, we’ll uncover the layers of history that have shaped Poland’s Christmas traditions.
Highlights:
- The Christmas Market
- Gather at Old Town by the entrance to the Royal Castle
- Explore the charming Old Town
- Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of the Christmas Market
- Conclude our tour by the ancient city walls, filled with the spirit of Christmas
Join us as we embrace the true essence of the holiday season in Warsaw. Experience the joy of giving while discovering the magic of Polish Christmas traditions.
Extend Your Stay
Our travel partner, Worldwide Navigators, has some amazing extensions across Europe prepared for our volunteers! Below are links to some of our favorites from past team members. These are all customizable to match your favorite European destinations!
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrivals and Orientation
Clinic
Clinic
Clinic
Clinic
Clinic
Depart for Home
Please View Full Itinerary in the Next Tab
Sustainable Impact
Your Journey
Weather
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Average High and Low Temperature in Warsaw, Poland ©WeatherSpark.com
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Average Hourly Temperature in Warsaw, Poland ©WeatherSpark.com
Clinic Photos
Gallery
Full Itinerary
This Itinerary is a guide and subject to change – thank you, as always, for your flexibility
REQUIRED COVID TEST & HEALTH DECLARATION FOR ALL IMR PARTICIPANTS:
All IMR team members are required to arrive with a negative covid test taken within 24 hours of departure due to the nature of our clinic visit. This must be provided to the team leader at orientation along with the IMR Health Declaration Form. If you are unable to obtain a covid test prior to travel, your team leader will have it available at orientation at $25.
Pre-Trip Notes:
- Double-check with your airline to make sure all your flights are on time and your connections are correct.
- Remember to pack the IMR supplies that you were sent into your own personal luggage. SAVE THE BOX! You will need that to return your bag back to IMR after your trip is complete.
- Please check the weather before you go and adjust your attire accordingly.
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR AIRLINE FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE REQUIREMENTS.
Arrivals and Orientation
You’ll fly into Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) by 2pm. Upon arrival, your team will transport to your hotel where you can check in and freshen up.
On your way to the hotel, you will enjoy some beautiful sites of Warsaw, Poland. Warsaw/Warszawa is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland and its population is officially estimated at 1.8 million residents within a greater metropolitan area of 3.1 million residents, which makes Warsaw the 7th most-populous capital city in the European Union. Warsaw is an alpha-global city; a major cultural, political, and economic hub; and the country’s seat of government. Its historic Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Poland is home to some of Europe’s finest theaters including the opera and ballet. The Teatr Wielki (Grand Theater) has been Poland’s grandest opera and ballet theater for more than 170 years and is comprised of a main stage, small stage and Poland’s only Theater Museum. Built between 1825 and 1833 by Italian architect Antonio Corazzi, the theater remains an imposing structure, though, unfortunately only its classicist, column-lined facade withstood the 1939 bombings. However, once rebuilt and rejuvenated, the theater returned in the late 1960s to conquer the hearts of Poland’s art-loving crowd with world classics as well as Polish works. Polish National Opera and Polish National Ballet performances take place throughout the season.
5:00pm is team orientation to prepare for the upcoming week of clinic. Your team leader will share with you about the clinic, address IMR’s clinic protocols, Covid-19 protocols, and discuss the communities you will be serving. Your Health Declaration and Negative Covid Test results will be collected.
You and your team will also sort all the supplies for your upcoming mission. Please bring your donations as well. Everything will be sorted, organized, and repacked for the clinic the next day.
Dinner is on your own. Afterwards, you’ll be free to explore the city or get some rest for your first day in clinic.
Clinic
A hearty breakfast will be available and at 8:00am, you’ll depart to the service site for your first day of clinic. Be sure to pack your daypack with all your snacks, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, camera, phone, water bottle and diagnostic equipment.
The first day of clinic is great. You will surely have an impact on our visiting Ukrainian friends. Make sure you understand your role and assignment and if you need to, ask for clarification. Look to your IMR alumni in the orange caps for guidance, and please stay in your assigned clinic role throughout the day. Don’t forget your safety protocols! Most importantly, enjoy the special moments. The patients are so humbled to have you there to help them. They are grateful. Take in all these memories, as time will go quickly.
In the evening, you will have a thorough debrief with your team, repack bags for tomorrow, turn in your scrubs, and complete the day’s statistics.
Afterwards, you are free to explore Warsaw’s European culture with great venues for dining and entertainment.
Meals: Breakfast,
Clinic
If you are an early morning riser, check out the Changing of the Guard ceremony located at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It takes place every hour and is dedicated to the unknown soldiers who have given their lives for Poland. It is one of many such national tombs of unknowns that were erected after World War I, and the most important monument in Poland.
At 8:00am, the transport departs to the service site for another great day of clinic!
IMR teams have a unique opportunity to monitor some chronic conditions in our clinics, as we have residents who live in the some of the Welcome Center shelters where we serve. Brush up on your diagnostic skills, as they will surely be put to great use!
Our patients are primarily the elderly, children, and women. There are numerous opportunities for educating this population on best health care practices. IMR partners with multiple facilities so you will likely be serving in different locations. Remember to listen to the stories of the patients. These stories will go down in the history books as a testament to this trying time.
In the evening, you will have a thorough debrief with your team, repack bags for tomorrow, turn in your scrubs, and complete the day’s statistics.
Take the opportunity to explore this European city by traveling the cobblestone streets filled with bustling cafes, music, and traditional European cuisine that warms the heart. The Warsaw Barbican gate in Old Town lights up at night and to show off this semicircular fortified outpost, one of few remaining relics of the complex network of historic fortifications that once encircled Warsaw. Located between the Old and New Towns, it is a major tourist attraction.
Meals: Breakfast,
Clinic
By this day of clinic, you are on a roll and have full knowledge all the ins and outs of clinic operations, hands-on! We appreciate you and all your service. Remember to take time to learn a story about one of your patients. We want you to walk away with a memory that stays in your heart. Let your team leader know if there is a special place you would like to work in clinic. As always, ask lots of questions to be sure you are prepared for your role.
In the evening, you will have a thorough debrief with your team, repack bags for tomorrow, turn in your scrubs, and complete the day’s statistics.
For a new cultural experience, see if you can find a Chopin concert performance. Chopin is the best-known composer from Poland, and his works of classical piano music are amazing.
Meals: Breakfast,
Clinic
As your week winds down, remember the community healthcare education in a public health setting that you and your team provide continues IMR’s long-term, sustainable education efforts. Education is as important as medical and dental care for our patients. When people become empowered to take health and wellness issues into their own hands, they become self-sufficient.
Meals: Breakfast,
Clinic
Last Day – Best Day! Make today count! You are making a difference!
After so much arduous work in clinic, today will be your final day to provide compassionate care to the people!
At the end of the day, give your final thank-yous and goodbyes to our local partners and your new friends. They have worked incredibly hard with us for the success of this week. It’s also photo time. Snap pics and share hugs to create memories with your new friends.
In the evening, you will have a thorough debrief with your team, repack the bags and itemize their contents for tomorrow, turn in your scrubs, and complete the day’s statistics. This one will take some time, so get ready to dig in your heels for some work!
Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to enjoy one last night in Warsaw and take in some of the culture that you haven’t been able to experience.
Meals: Breakfast,
Depart for Home
One last morning in Poland! After breakfast at your hotel, check-out time is 10:00am.
If you have extra time before your flight and haven’t explored Old Town, you should. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s where the city’s heart has been beating for centuries. However, when you cross the Vistula River and look at the Old Town from a distance, you’ll be struck by how unusual the panorama of the city is – skyscrapers rise above the red roofs of the Old Town. Historical buildings blend in harmoniously with modern architecture, and the city surprises us by revealing its second face.
Meals: Breakfast,
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Extension Photos
Extensions
Our travel partner, Worldwide Navigators, has some amazing extensions across Europe prepared for our volunteers! Below are links to some of our favorites from past team members. These are all customizable to match your favorite European destinations!
Minimum Donation
Your generous donation of $2600 will go toward the ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need. A small portion of your donation includes:
- Clinic supplies and medications for patients
- Clinic participation
- Transportation, accommodations, and meals as outlined in the itinerary
Donation Payment Deadlines
$2600 due by August 26, 2024
$2600 due by October 27, 2024
Early Bird Savings Opportunity
To be eligible, the participant must upload ALL your required documents and forms, sign their liability form and make your 50% donation including your $35 application fee by August 26, 2024. This savings opportunity does not apply to disaster relief missions.
Featured Enhancements
**To purchase any of the above Featured Enhancements for your mission, please contact our office at office@imrus.org or call at (970) 635-0110.
Your Donation to IMR for Your Mission Cost Includes:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Costs associated with the clinic
- Food
- Tips for services provided to the IMR team
- All logistics, including translation services and security as needed
Additional Costs That You Are Responsible For:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- International and Domestic flights to the country.
- Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
- Required or recommended insurance
- Vaccinations and medications common for travel
- Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
- Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you meet
- Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
- COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure
- Each team member is responsible for carrying medical supplies for the deployment. All fees associated with transport are the responsibility of the volunteer.
Financial FAQs
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