Family to Adopt Ukrainian Orphan

A 2-year-old Ukrainian orphan who has been living in Thousand Oaks while undergoing treatment to correct deformities in his legs, can look forward to better health and a family of his own for the new year.

Dmytro “Dima” Korovin was found in an Ukrainian orphanage by Nita Hanson, a missionary from Thousand Oaks. Since September, he has been living with Thousand Oaks resident Sherry Shaffer.

Dima was born without feet, and since coming to the United States has had surgery to allow him to be fitted with prosthetic devices. He has been receiving treatment at Shriner’s Hospital in Los Angeles.

In addition to arranging for Dima’s medical treatment, Hanson also has hoped to find him a permanent home.

Last month, that mission proved successful when Sue and Barry McGuckin of Yankton, Ore., agreed to adopt Dima. The McGuckins had heard about the boy from Sue McGuckin’s mother, who knows Hanson.

The McGuckins have a boy, 7, and a girl, 5. The family has met with a Portland-based adoption agency for background checks and contacted a Minnesota-based adoption agency to process the paperwork for both the United States and Ukraine governments.

Sue McGuckin traveled to Thousand Oaks early this month to meet Dima.

“When I got to see him, he didn’t know me from Adam,” she said. “By the time I left Saturday, I had gotten some time alone with him. If I wasn’t sure I would bond him before, which I was, I was sure then. I brought the videos home. We’ve watched him half a dozen times. My husband cried once he saw him.”