Beckham applauded for letting Ukrainian doctor use his Instagram account to show life-saving work
By Team Newsable | First Published Mar 21, 2022, 10:53 PM ISTFormer England captain David Beckham handed control of his Instagram account to a Ukrainian doctor in the city of Kharkiv on Sunday.
Legendary England footballer David Beckham on Sunday handed control of his Instagram account to a Ukrainian doctor in the war-torn capital city of Kharkiv. For 24 hours, the former England captain's Instagram stories were inundated with photographs and videos posted by Dr Iryana, a child anesthesiologist and head of the regional perinatal centre.
Throughout the day, Dr Iryna gave a glimpse of what medical professionals are doing amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Dr Iryna showed Beckham's 71.5 million followers the cramped basement where all pregnant women and new mothers were evacuated to during Vladimir Putin's forces' first day of the invasion. Another video showed how newborns were being treated and a basement where patients were moved to escape the shelling.
The Ukrainian doctor also posted photographs of newborns in the intensive care unit, where they relied on oxygen generators donated by Unicef.
Dr Iryna said she now works "24/7" and "We are probably risking our lives, but we don't think about it. We love our work. Doctors and nurses here, we worry, we cry, but none of us will give up."
Kharkiv is Ukraine's second-biggest city and has been the target of Russian shelling for more than three weeks.
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star said he wanted to highlight the "amazing work Dr Iryna and health workers like her are doing to save lives in Ukraine".
Beckham, an ambassador for Unicef since 2005, also urged his followers to donate to the charity, which is working in Ukraine to provide families with access to clean water and food, deliver ready-to-use kits to maternity hospitals, and ensure child protection services continue.
"Thanks to your donations, the oxygen generators they have received are helping newborns survive in appalling conditions," he said.
He and his wife Victoria, who was a singer with the Spice Girls, are reported to have donated 1 million pounds to help fund the organisation's work in Ukraine.
Following this gesture, Unicef thanked the former England legend and said, "Thank you @davidbeckham for handing over your account, to Iryna for your heroic work, and to everyone helping children with a donation."
Several people took to Twitter to thank the football legend for this iniative, even as Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine. Here's a look at some of the reactions:
BREAKING: Iconic former soccer superstar David Beckham hands his Instagram account with 71 million followers to a Ukrainian perinatal doctor who is risking her life to deliver babies in Ukraine in the midst of Putin’s deadly invasion. RT TO THANK DAVID BECKHAM FOR DOING HIS PART!
— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats)71 million people have now been able to see exactly what Putin is doing to Ukraine, through they eyes, images & video testimony of a Ukrainian perinatal doctor risking her life to deliver babies in Kharkiv. Way to go, David Beckham 👏🇺🇦 https://t.co/19lZZSG5E7
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford)Wow! David Beckham handed over his Instagram with 71.4 million followers to Kharkiv doctor Irina Kondratova so she can show the world the truth about the war in Ukraine and the conditions in which doctors have to work. https://t.co/ObueS2Fh8d
— Olga Lautman 🇺🇦 (@OlgaNYC1211)David Beckham will give Iryna Kondratova - paediatric anaesthesiologist - his 71 million strong Instagram account to let her share the experiences of her team while they care for sick babies in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/tdytYwqVI4
— Tanya Selak (@GongGasGirl)An example of what celebrities can do for Ukraine: Today David Beckham handed over his Instagram account with 71 million followers to Iryna, a Ukrainian doctor from Kharkiv who is caring for Ukrainian civilians under Russian attack.
— Timothy Snyder (@TimothyDSnyder)👏🏽👏🏽 David Beckham temporarily shared his Instagram account with a doctor from Kharkiv pic.twitter.com/97NfN1ovni
— The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine)Beckham's generous transfer of his Instagram to a perinatal doctor delivering babies in Ukraine's war zone...
To me, it's like a vision of heroes holding hands. These selfless acts serve as an example to everyone. It's how we defeat tyranny and together win a better world.
David Beckham will transfer his social media accounts to a Ukrainian doctor-pediatrician, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Perinatal Center, Iryna Kondratova. So that she tells the world about the work of Ukrainian doctors who save lives here in Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/gwzgcJFAUh
— Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel)👍David Beckham⚽️ has given his Instagram with 71.4 million followers to Kharkiv doctor👩⚕️🩺, head of the perinatal centre and a child anesthesiologist Iryna Kondratova to show the world the truth about the war in Ukraine🇺🇦 and the conditions under which doctors have to work. pic.twitter.com/0aXBDy7Tsx
— Mikhail Khodorkovsky (English) (@mbk_center)The admirable work of British football star David Beckham.
He handed over his Instagram with 71.4 million followers to Kharkiv doctor Irina Kondratova so she can show the world the truth about the war in & the conditions that doctors have to work.🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/NsYuAIiJCX
David Beckham is an absolute legend for handing over his Instagram account (71.4 million followers) to a doctor from Kharkiv so that she can show the world what is really going on in . https://t.co/bcpaLdnPaG
— Natia Seskuria (@nseskuria)I've not always been the greatest David Beckham fan since end of his football career, but you have to give him full credit for way he has used his platform with regards Ukraine.
— Matthew Payne (@Matthew82069336)I don't care about celebrity. About Kim K and Pete D.
But when David Beckham turns his 7.1 million followers over to broadcast a perinatal doctor in Kharkiv, Ukraine to benefit , I care.
I care a great deal about new mothers and their babies sheltering from war.
Thank you for such creative support to https://t.co/PFliJmFueu
— Toby Usnik (@Tusnik)🙏🏻 David Beckham for lending your IG account to Iryna, physician anesthesiologist, Director of Kharkiv's Regional Perinatal Centre, working 24/7 to save moms & babies in https://t.co/aCWmEHCLr7 https://t.co/hN4BqIhdS1 pic.twitter.com/wNu4jJD8pu
— Ruthi Landau MD (@ruthi_landau)Thanks David Beckham. A good man full of justice. Correct use of influence. https://t.co/AxoOlmUhcr
— FY… (@Aries_Sunn)Kudos to David Beckham for doing his part to fight misinformation in the war on Ukraine. Am thankful for an opportunity to bear witness to this doctor's bravery in a time of horror and tragedy. Democracy must prevail! 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 https://t.co/GZ0V0mwsFZ
— Ria Galanos (@CScheerleader)Incredible class act on the part of UK soccer great David Beckham.He gave his instagram account to a children’s doctor in Ukraine to let her show and tell the stories of the horrors children are facing as a result of Russia’s barbaric actions in Ukraine. Well Done Sir.
— Chuck Sexton (@SilverEaglePI)
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