Natalija Seredenko, a Ukrainian pediatrician from Zaporizhia, has faced significant challenges since relocating to Slovakia shortly after the Russian invasion. Despite her over 15 years of experience in Ukraine, her medical qualifications were not recognized in Slovakia, requiring her to start her specialization anew. Even after four years working in the Slovak health system, she still finds herself not recognized as a pediatrician by Slovak authorities, highlighting the difficulties faced by foreign medical professionals in integrating into the local healthcare system.

In her reflections on the Slovak healthcare system, Seredenko notes cultural differences in parental attitudes towards child healthcare. She discusses the heightened anxiety among parents regarding their children's safety, emphasizing how this can sometimes manifest as overprotectiveness, potentially hindering children's development. Her perspective is shaped not only by her training as a physician but also by her own experiences as a mother navigating a new environment for her family.

Additionally, Seredenko touches on her personal struggles and adaptation to life in Slovakia, including maintaining a long-distance relationship with her husband who remains in Ukraine. She expresses her ongoing adjustments to Slovak life and contemplates the future, pondering whether she will continue to reside in Slovakia post-war. Her story encapsulates the broader challenges faced by many refugees as they seek to establish new lives in foreign countries amid conflict.