Ukraine, Canada Share Child Care Models

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska visited children’s healthcare and mental health facilities in Calgary on Sept. 11, focusing on Canada’s experience providing education and psychological support to young patients.

At Alberta Children’s Hospital, Zelenska met with staff at the Dr. Gordon Townsend School, an educational facility for children receiving long-term treatment. She also spoke with representatives of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, which supports the medical centre.

Zelenska said Ukraine is expanding its own hospital-based education programme, known as Schools of Superheroes. According to the Ukrainian presidential website, the Olena Zelenska Foundation funded 12 such schools in 2024 and 2025. Four additional schools are planned this year, along with expansions at four existing facilities.

During her visit to The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience, Zelenska learned about its walk-in psychological services, youth programmes and day hospital. She said Ukraine’s “12–21” network of psychological support centres for teenagers follows a similar model. Five centres opened this year in Bila Tserkva, Khmelnytskyi, Chernihiv, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, with further locations planned.