UNBROKEN Ukraine

Training on Rehabilitation for Soldiers with Vision Impairment Caused by Traumatic Brain Injury by a Top Specialist from the United States! Chrystyna Rakoczy, O.D., F.A.A.O. an optometrist from the Tampa James A Haley Veterans Hospital and Clinics (USA), conducted a series of workshops in Lviv for Ukrainian specialists. The training involved multidisciplinary teams from St. Panteleimon and St. Luke Hospitals, part of the First Medical Union of Lviv, as well as two medical institutions in Kharkiv: the Regional Cardiology Center and the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Northern Region. Each medical institution delegated a team of specialists to participate in the workshop, including ophthalmologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. These are the professionals who specialize in rehabilitating defenders with vision dysfunction resulting from traumatic brain injuries. Khrystyna Rakoczy worked with each hospital’s team for two days. The first day of the training seminar focused on lectures about the proper diagnosis of vision disorders associated with traumatic brain injuries and methods of visual rehabilitation. The second day was dedicated to hands-on practice. Together with the American specialist, Ukrainian medical teams examined patients and developed practical skills in vision rehabilitation. “TBI is a very common injury among patients. Even a mild TBI can impact vision and daily activities. That’s why it’s crucial to properly diagnose vision disorders caused by mild traumatic brain injuries to accelerate and enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation. Every such patient should be treated by a multidisciplinary team,” explains Lyubov Hamova, an occupational therapist at St. Luke Hospital of the First Medical Union of Lviv. The workshops for all teams were conducted at St. Panteleimon Hospital of the First Medical Union of Lviv. We sincerely thank Chrystyna Rakoczy, O.D., F.A.A.O. for visiting Ukraine and sharing her expertise and knowledge with our specialists. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to Steven Scott for his support. Additionally, we thank the Volia Fund for their invaluable contribution to making this important initiative possible.

“Standing Over a Human Heart” UNBROKEN anesthesiologist Khrystyna Orlynska does more than calculate anesthesia doses. She can spend an entire day by a patient’s side, focusing intently on their heart, breathing, and blood to save a life. We’re sharing an excerpt from the upcoming special issue of Reporters magazine, featuring the story of a doctor from the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN who dedicates her life to her work, tirelessly fighting for every patient. She fuels herself with coffee, often skipping meals and vacations altogether. The everyday life of an anesthesiologist is about far more than “just administering anesthesia”—a reality captured by renowned Ukrainian writer Irena Karpa. Photography for this special issue, like other stories about UNBROKEN patients and medical staff, is by Oleksandr Maslov. Excerpts from the literary report, “Standing Over a Human Heart” When I pass through Lviv, Khrystyna is on a night shift, so we can’t meet for coffee in person. Instead, we connect through screens, sipping coffee simultaneously—mine a morning ritual, hers seemingly her primary sustenance. “Don’t worry about me,” she says, brushing off my concern. “I’ll grab something after work. I’m used to it.” UNBROKEN is a rehabilitation center for men and women wounded by war. Can a doctor ever get used to what they see here? “They have to. When I stand over a patient, I try not to see their personality, soul, or emotions. I see their body, their organs, and focus on doing everything I can to keep them alive.” Emotions, she says, are unnecessary here. I look at Khrystyna and see someone who defies the modern trend of emotional openness, keeping most feelings to herself—a vital skill for her profession. As an anesthesiologist in an ICU with 80 beds, she confronts death regularly. By comparison, similar departments in other hospitals manage 10 to 20 patients. The ICU often deals with people teetering on the brink. Doctors must learn to live with this reality and build a protective armor to continue their work. This doesn’t signify coldness or detachment but resilience. Yet Khrystyna doesn’t hold back her emotions when speaking about the tragic death of her husband—a fellow doctor and great love with whom she shared 12 years. His life was cut short in a car accident. By discovering new stories and individuals—heroes who often remain outside media headlines—we gain simple yet profound wisdom. For Khrystyna, it is this: life goes on, even when we lose those closest to us. It’s a painful truth, but one we must accept, especially during wartime. This inspiring issue was made possible through collaboration between The Ukrainians and UNBROKEN Ukraine, supported by Kyivstar. Fifteen percent of sales from each printed copy will go toward supporting the Unbroken KIDS pediatric rehabilitation department. Get your copy here: https://lnkd.in/d-pizZin

The Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, Aurimas Pečkauskas visited the Medical Rehabilitation Center in Bryukhovychi and the UNBROKEN Center! First and foremost, the guest met with patients of the Center—our resilient defenders undergoing rehabilitation after severe injuries. Following this, the Minister familiarized himself with the work of the prosthetics workshop and the UNBROKEN Center, where they discussed key aspects of treatment, rehabilitation, and the needs of our patients. A particularly significant announcement was the commencement of a large-scale project—the reconstruction of the multifunctional Medical Rehabilitation Center in Bryukhovychi. This will enable the creation of significantly improved conditions for treatment, which is crucial for our defenders who deserve the highest standard of care and the best possible facilities. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Government of Lithuania and Minister of Health Aurimas Pečkauskas for their invaluable support of our medical institutions. Your assistance holds immense importance for us!

“I’m right behind you. Don’t worry. I’ll be there with you.” Here’s an excerpt from another deeply moving literary report in the special issue of Reporters magazine. This is a story of true LOVE, healing DEVOTION, and immense SACRIFICE by the wife of a severely wounded soldier, a patient at the UNBROKEN Center. It’s the story of Tanya and her Tolik, written by the talented journalist, editor, and author Khrystyna Kotsira. Photographer Sasha Maslov captured the strength of their love for The Ukrainians. Excerpts from “The Gospel According to Tetiana” Their friends called them Elephant and Mousy. Anatolii stood at 192 cm, wore size 45.5 shoes, and weighed 105 kg. Tiny Tanya, at 160 cm and 50 kg, was his other half, literally and figuratively. She was anxious. Her husband was in places where good news was scarce — fierce battles were raging near Bakhmut. A few months ago, he had joined the army as an assault trooper. Then Tolik’s commander called. A severe injury; after surgery in Kramatorsk, he had been moved to a hospital in Dnipro. All this was about her Tolik. “I’m right behind you. Don’t worry. I’ll be there with you,” Tanya said. She tried not to think about Tolik’s odds. They warned her — he could die, he might be paralyzed for life, and the word “vegetable” slipped into the conversation. “What now? How to go on?” She tormented herself and the doctors with questions that had no answers. No breaking down, no tears, no giving up — she found her own way forward. Since the day Tolik was wounded, she hadn’t shed a single tear. The once strong man was now, due to a brain injury, like a child who had to be taught everything again. The only thing he remembered was that she was Tanya, and she was his wife. Tanya watched the movements of the rehabilitation specialists closely, studying scientific articles on brain injuries. When Anatolii lay apathetically, staring at the ceiling and unwilling to do anything, Tanya made him get up from the bed and sit in his wheelchair fifteen times a day so he could learn to take care of himself. She argued with her mother-in-law when she would do things for her son, like dressing him. At the UNBROKEN Center, Tolik learned to walk. First, with special equipment, then with his wheelchair, and later, holding Tanya’s hand. One day, she simply let her hand slip from his, and he walked on his own. This inspiring magazine issue was created through a collaboration between The Ukrainians Media and the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN, supported by Київстар . Fifteen percent of each sale supports the Unbroken KIDS pediatric rehabilitation department. Purchase the issue here: https://lnkd.in/d-pizZin

“When I was wounded, I said goodbye to my comrades over the radio.” At the UNBROKEN Center, they saved a defender who was on the brink of life and death after a severe injury. Medics literally pulled the patient back from the edge, as he was in septic shock. Before joining the Armed Forces, 36-year-old Roman Petrov from Kryvyi Rih worked as an electrician. He was mobilized last August and served in the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Volodymyr Monomakh, where he became a combat vehicle commander. His injury occurred in late June this year near Toretsk, while he was helping carry a wounded comrade to an evacuation vehicle. Suddenly, the enemy began shelling them with mortars and dropping ammunition from drones. Roman, too, was hit. He sustained injuries to his abdomen, chest, and leg. “I immediately said over the radio that it was an honor to serve with them. But the company commander replied that it wasn’t my time to die yet,” Roman recalls. After three days in frontline hospitals, the critically injured soldier was evacuated to Lviv, to the UNBROKEN Center. He arrived in severe condition, showing all signs of septic shock — the most critical manifestation of sepsis, a systemic inflammatory response to infection. In such cases, very few patients survive. Roman was placed on a ventilator, induced into a medical coma, and underwent a series of urgent surgeries. Roman had an open fracture of the femur and a penetrating injury to the pelvic region and rectum, which was riddled with 12 shrapnel holes. Our surgeons first created a stoma — an artificial opening in the abdominal wall for bowel contents. Then they opened and treated the anaerobic phlegmon in his pelvis, known as gas gangrene, a dangerous infection that can occur with such injuries. Surgeons drained the pus, cleaned the tissues, and provided them with access to oxygen. Roman spent an entire month in intensive care, undergoing surgeries from time to time, with no guarantee that he would survive. “His condition was so critical that few expected he would pull through. But thanks to the combined efforts of our team of anesthesiologists and surgeons, we managed to stabilize him and achieve positive progress,” says Andriy Mykush, a surgeon at the UNBROKEN Center. Roman’s condition has improved, but full recovery will still take time. He says his greatest support on the path to healing is his wife and two-year-old son. “The big war has made me value life more. Before, it turns out, I had everything, but I didn’t appreciate it,” Roman reflects. The National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN is part of the First Medical Union of Lviv.

“The Moment When a Person Meets the Unspeakable…” Here’s an excerpt from a special issue of Reporters magazine, about those who help heal the invisible scars of war, aiding people in rediscovering themselves. These individuals, along with their team, confront the colonial trauma of psychiatry and are transforming mental health services. This publication features Oleh Berezyuk, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and head of psychological rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN Center. Ukrainian journalist Khrystyna Shalak authored this story, with photographs by Sasha Maslov for The Ukrainians. ”— At the start of the war, all disorders disappeared, even COVID. There’s no energy left for mental processes, only survival. Now, we face chronic stress from an ongoing threat of missile strikes, with effects like cortisol-related immunodeficiency. As we shift from acute to depressive phases, various suicidal and apathetic states appear, as exhaustion impacts clinical cases.” The war affects specialists too. There’s a term — vicarious trauma, or trauma from hearing others’ stories. Recently, both Berezyuk and his colleagues have had more nightmares, intense fatigue, and difficulty multitasking, as their minds feel like “a computer with too many tabs open.” Discussing cases with colleagues helps, though their schedules remain demanding. On trauma and PTSD, Dr. Oleh uses the “moment of death’s eyes” metaphor, the moment a person faces the unspeakable. In exposure therapy, patients recount this moment repeatedly in a safe setting, with neurobiological benefits. During trauma, subcortical brain structures activate, while the cortex “switches off.” In PTSD, this “alarm” remains on, with trauma memories “stuck” in short-term memory, resulting in flashbacks. Retelling the trauma lets the cortex reframe it: ”— We take this situation out of active memory and archive it. It no longer carries emotional weight; it sits in the ‘archive,’ retrievable if needed.” This inspiring magazine issue was created by The Ukrainians Media and the national rehabilitation center UNBROKEN, supported by Київстар. Fifteen percent of each sale goes toward the UNBROKEN KIDS. Purchase here: https://lnkd.in/d-pizZin

⚽️ A patient from the UNBROKEN Center kicked off the Round of 16 match of the Ukrainian Football Cup! Recently, a match between Rukh and Karpaty took place at the largest stadium in Lviv. Before the game began, the first symbolic kick of the ball was made by Oleg Lutchyn, a patient of the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN. Oleg, a 30-year-old defender from the village of Zymna Voda in the Lviv region, suffered a severe injury at the end of August 2023. During a drone attack, Oleg lost both of his legs as a result of a grenade being dropped by the enemy. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN Center, where he has already received prosthetics and is learning to walk again. In his youth, Oleg played football professionally and was even part of the youth team of FC Karpaty. So, the opportunity to kick off the Ukrainian Cup match, to be back on the field, and to strike the ball again is a tremendous source of motivation for Oleg on his path to recovery. 🫂 We thank FC Rukh for their support and attention to our patients! Together, we are UNBROKEN!

“I’ve Been Through Hell!” A defender of Snake Island, who spent over two years in captivity, lost 24 kg in weight, and endured torture, has completed his recovery at the UNBROKEN Center and plans to return to the military. Thirty-three-year-old Vadym Nesterенко from Odesa region joined the security forces back in 2011, right after completing his military service. He served with the Izmail Border Guard Detachment and, in 2018, joined the 35th Separate Marine Brigade. It was with this brigade that he faced the full-scale invasion—on Snake Island. Vadym recalls how it happened: “On February 24, we were alerted at 3:30 a.m. as a bomber was heading our way. By midday, ships began to approach us. The first was Moskva, followed by Bykov. After evacuating civilians, the ships raised the red flag and opened fire. Then the air force, mortars, and turrets joined in. For four hours, explosions and whistling didn’t stop. They destroyed all the anti-aircraft systems, leaving us with only rifles.” The enemy offered the Ukrainian border guards and marines a chance to surrender. But as is widely known, they sent the “Russian warship” in a well-known direction. Soon after, reports surfaced of the death of all defenders on Snake Island. Only later was it revealed that they had been taken prisoner. Vadym spent two years and three months in captivity. He endured torture—doused with water, poisoned with gas, beaten with a stun gun and a stick. His ribs were broken, nose fractured, and he lost about ten teeth. “Their favorite thing was starving us. We were given five minutes per meal, which was barely enough to eat,” shares the marine. He explains what they were fed: a piece of bread and cabbage doused in boiling water. Before captivity, Vadym weighed 83 kg, but by the time he was released on May 31, 2024, he had dropped to 59 kg. A month after the prisoner exchange, at the end of June, the Snake Island defender was sent for further recovery to the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN. Here’s what Vadym’s doctor, Orest Smalyukh, said about his condition upon arrival: “Due to his time in captivity, the patient had developed a range of gastrointestinal issues. We diagnosed him with peptic ulcer disease and a hiatal hernia. He also had damage to his right knee joint, facial injuries with a deviated nasal septum, and lumbar spine injuries. There were also protrusions of the intervertebral discs in the cervical and lumbar spine areas.” Vadym stayed at our Center for three months. He received conservative treatment, worked with physical therapists, and with specialists at the Mental Health Center. He regained strength and notably recovered his weight to 75 kg. Now, the patient has been discharged. The UNBROKEN defender plans to return to service and dreams of fulfilling his long-held wish—to visit Paris. The UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center is part of the First Medical Union of Lviv.

🥊🤼 Open Training in Boxing, Archery, and Wrestling for Patients of the UNBROKEN Center! 👉🏻 Recently, as part of the “League of the Unconquered” project, UNBROKEN patients participated in several workshops hosted by three youth sports schools: Athlete, Dmytro Sydoruk School, and Alpine Sports School. Professional coaches and athletes from these institutions conducted inclusive training sessions for soldiers currently recovering from injuries at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center. The sports taught included: 🥊 Boxing – with coaches Volodymyr Lypskyi, Ivan Novokshonov, Vitalii Sosnivskyi, and athlete Danylo Lazor 🏹 Archery – with coaches Vira Sapunova, Kateryna Palekha, and athlete Tetyana Yashchyshyn 🤼 Wrestling – with coaches Olha Kurotchyn, Taras Pytlyuk, and Viktor Hlibenko 📍The event took place at the Dynamo Olympic Training Sports Complex. League of the Unconquered is a project by the Youth and Sports Department of the Lviv Regional State Administration aimed at physical and psychological rehabilitation of soldiers and veterans through sports. 🫂 Thank you for supporting our patients and providing the opportunity to introduce them to a variety of sports.

“Everything Will Change, Believe Me!” 📝 We’re sharing an excerpt from the first and incredibly inspiring article in a special issue of Reporters magazine. It speaks of the pain, hope, and inner strength of the medical professionals and patients at the UNBROKEN Center. This piece is about Andriy Dvorakevych, the head of the surgical division of UNBROKEN KIDS. “Is he unbreakable? Quite possibly. But he reluctantly talks about what might have tested his resilience. He recalls only the painful Saturday trains arriving at Lviv station from the east, bringing the unimaginable—children wounded by fragments, shells, mines—by war. These were injuries he had only heard about in military medicine classes as a student, but that was theory; this is real life. Brave? One could say so. He was never afraid to take on something new—whether mastering the field of transplants or convincing colleagues that robotic surgery isn’t science fiction but a necessity of our time. Courage also served him when he had to persuade the parents of an eighteen-month-old boy to consent to a surgery neither he nor his close colleagues had done before. He explained: he would control a robot that had already helped many adults. He didn’t hide that countries performing such surgeries on children could be counted on one hand. Yet he urged them: trust me. Human? Undoubtedly. He sometimes argued with colleagues about whether a doctor should remain detached or open their heart to patients. But could he forget those he treated once he left the hospital’s walls? Impossible, he thought. Could he forget the gaze of 12-year-old Yana, who had the misfortune of being in Kramatorsk on the day the Russians targeted the train station with missiles? That day, Yana’s mother lost a leg, and Yana herself lost both. During their rehabilitation, mother and daughter often spent mornings in wheelchairs on the hospital porch. When he greeted them, he saw hope in their eyes and felt inspired himself. If there were one word to describe him most accurately, it would be “determined”—and perhaps, a little bit of a risk-taker. Isn’t it a risk to borrow $200 to go abroad for training when you’re earning just $13, especially with a young family and two kids? But 24-year-old Andriy Dvorakevych wasn’t thinking about money, which was already tight; he thought about opportunities, experience, the future. So, when Lviv’s Okhmatdyt Hospital, where he worked at the time, closed for a few months of renovation, he packed his bags and went to learn from doctors in Poland.” This special issue of the magazine, filled with inspiring stories, was made possible thanks to the collaboration between The Ukrainians Media and the UNBROKEN Center, with support from Київстар . A portion of the proceeds—15% from each magazine sold—will go toward supporting children’s rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN KIDS center. You can purchase the issue here: https://lnkd.in/d-pizZin