Anna Kostenko lives near St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and can often hear the whirling blades of air ambulances overhead. That never used to bother her until Russia invaded Ukraine a few weeks ago.

“Every time I hear a helicopter now, I think I’m under attack,” said the Seneca international student. “I’m mentally in Ukraine.”

Ms. Kostenko, 19, was born and raised in Ukraine. Kyiv is her home. But her family — parents and five younger siblings — have since fled the capital city and are constantly moving to find safety. For a week, they hid in a bomb shelter and ate expired dairy products.

“Buildings in my city have been destroyed, and my mom was breastfeeding my seven-month-old sister underground,” she said. “It’s so hard to listen to my mom say, ‘At least you are in a safe place,’ and I can only watch what’s happening on my phone and pray for my family.”

A professional gymnast in Ukraine, Ms. Kostenko moved to Canada for her postsecondary education after a competition brought her to Toronto. She is now in her third year of the Honours Bachelor of Commerce – International Business Management degree program.

Before the war, Ms. Kostenko visited her family every chance she could get, most recently for Ukrainian Christmas and new year celebrations just a month before the war broke out. She was scheduled to fly home in April after her final exam but all flights to Ukraine have been cancelled.

“My life changed in one day,” she said. “In the beginning, I felt guilty just to eat and sleep. I had panic attacks from watching video footage in the news. I lost a few pounds. I have Russian friends, but it’s a tough time to speak with them now.”

She hasn’t been able to convince her parents to come to Canada despite the dangers in Ukraine. One of her father’s offices in Kyiv was attacked.

“I begged them to come,” Ms. Kostenko said. “But they are patriots. My mother was a deputy on the Kyiv City Council. They want to stay in Ukraine.”

Ms. Kostenko has turned to volunteering, raising $3,000 through her Instagram account for medical supplies. She joined Toronto-based Ukraine Medical Support, a non-profit that provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

When she’s not studying or training, Ms. Kostenko is co-ordinating volunteers, processing cargo shipments of medication and hygiene products and reaching out to local businesses for donations.

“I can’t just sit and do nothing,” she said. “Even though I’m in a big depression — I don’t have emotions, I’m just empty — I still want to help my country as much as possible.”

Last week, Ms. Kostenko learned that one of her close relatives had become a prisoner of war. She also worries about her 17-year-old brother, who is supposed to graduate from high school this year.

“One of the most important years of his life is destroyed,” she said. “I was his age when I moved to Canada for a brighter future, and it’s not fair that he is not going to be able to do the same.”

At Seneca, Ms. Kostenko says her professors have been more than understanding and supportive. She is grateful for the financial aid she received from Seneca’s emergency fund for Ukrainian students and plans to work full time this summer.

“Every penny I can save from my job, I will give to my parents,” she said.

After finishing her degree, Ms. Kostenko plans to get work experience in Canada and return to Ukraine to apply her skills.

“This war has made me realize how strong and united we can be and how important it is to be with our loved ones,” she said. “I want to go back to Ukraine. That’s my country. Ukraine needs young people like me. But right now, we need to go through this. After, we’ll celebrate the victory.”