David Beckham Gives A Ukrainian Doctor His Instagram Account
On Sunday in Kharkiv, former England captain David Beckham handed over control of his Instagram account to a Ukrainian doctor.
Dr. Iryna, the director of a regional perinatal center, spent the day on social media, releasing films on the work that medical personnel are doing in the midst of the violence.
Newborns were seen being treated, as well as a basement where patients had to be relocated to avoid shelling.
Beckham, 46, has more than 71 million Instagram followers.
"Amazing work Iryna and health workers like her are doing to save lives in Ukraine," the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player remarked.
Dr. Iryna, who also works as a paediatric anaesthesiologist and runs the center, said her job has been "24/7" since the Russian invasion.
"The first several days were the most challenging. We had to learn how to deal with bombs and strikes, among other things "she stated.
"We're undoubtedly putting our lives in danger, but we don't realize it. We enjoy what we do. We, the doctors and nurses here, worry and cry, but we will not give up."
For more than three weeks, Russian shelling has targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.
Dr. Iryna described how all pregnant women and mothers were forced to be relocated to the center's basement on the first day of the war.
"We spent a miserable three hours together," she said.
She went on to say that newborns in intensive care had to stay upstairs since the life-saving equipment they relied on couldn't be transported.
Beckham also urged his fans to give to Unicef, the United Nations' children's organisation for which he is an ambassador.
He and his wife Victoria, a Spice Girl singer, are said to have donated £1 million to help fund the organization's operations in Ukraine.