Rebuilding Faces, Restoring Hope: MedCAD Joins Vision for Ukraine’s Reconstructive Mission
An Interview with MedCAD’s CEO & Founder, Nancy Hairston, while in Kyiv
Filmed and produced by Christian Medical Association of Ukraine. Photography by Illya Larionov.
When MedCAD CEO Nancy Hairston joined Christian Medical Association Ukraine (CMA) in Kyiv, it marked a powerful milestone in a mission. MedCAD has supported Vision for Ukraine since 2024, donating patient-specific 3D printed implants for service members and civilians with devastating facial injuries. But this was the first time Nancy and some members of the team stood inside Ukrainian operating rooms, witnessing firsthand the impact of these technologies on those living through a full-scale war.
Across several days of surgeries in Kyiv, U.S. oculoplastic, maxillofacial, and microsurgeons worked side-by-side with Ukrainian specialists, using MedCAD’s titanium orbital and craniofacial implants to restore symmetry, protect vision, and rebuild features damaged in combat. These patient-matched implants are designed from patient CT data and customized to each individual’s anatomy. This allowed surgeons to treat injuries that would have once required multiple operations in a single, well-planned procedure.
Nancy sits down with CMA while in Ukraine for an interview where she recounts her journey, MedCAD’s role in the mission, and the human stories that continue to drive our work.
What is Vision for Ukraine
Vision for Ukraine is an international medical initiative that, since May 2024, has been helping military personnel and civilians with severe facial injuries, including orbital trauma and loss of the eye.
The program brings together leading U.S. surgeons and Ukrainian specialists, creating a unique multidisciplinary approach to treating injuries among the most complex in wartime medicine. Almost $750,000 – that’s the total amount international partners, like MedCAD, have invested in Ukrainian medicine through the series of Vision for Ukraine reconstructive missions ongoing since May 2024. Over two years, the team has assisted more than 130 patients, some of whom required multi-stage reconstruction.
More about CMA: Website, Instagram, Facebook
Organizers and Partners
The mission is conducted by the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine in collaboration with:
- Ed’s Friends, US charity
- ASOEP, Association of Oculoplastic and Eye Prosthetics Specialists, Ukraine
- Razom for Ukraine, US-Ukrainian charitable fund
- MedCAD, Manufacturer of truly custom 3D implants