PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- A Pierre woman originally from Ukraine left Thursday on her first trip back since the country’s war with Russia began earlier this year.

Nataliya (na-TAL-ya) Rezek (ree-zk) says booking flights to get there was complicated.

She acknowledges travel in that part of the world is dangerous.

Rezek is anxious to see family and friends, especially her father.

Rezek, who is a Registered Nurse, has been collecting and shipping some desperately needed medications to her father, who then takes them to get distributed where they are needed. She is also taking some over the counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. She says military style tourniquets are also in extremely short supply.