Soldier Dmytro Zhovtobriukh, call sign PUMA

I am Dmytro Zhovtobriukh, though among my comrades I’m known by the callsign PUMA. On the first day of the full-scale war, February 24, 2022, I volunteered to join the security company of the Chernihiv Territorial Recruitment Center. Our unit participated in the defense of the Chernihiv region, and after its liberation, we joined the 58th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky, fighting in the Kharkiv and Donbas regions to defend Ukraine from the enemy.

On April 1, 2023, during an assault operation, I sustained a severe chest wound. Despite the pain and blood loss, I managed to crawl to a safe spot, where scouts from an adjacent unit happened upon me and evacuated me.

The doctors called it a miracle that I survived. Four months of treatment helped me return to service, where I continued as the deputy commander of an assault company.

Unfortunately, I was wounded again during battles on the Vuhledar front.

While evacuating wounded soldiers, our pickup hit a mine. Thankfully, everyone survived, but my condition worsened significantly, and my internal organs were injured again. After that, I was transferred to the Territorial Recruitment Center and later discharged due to disability.

Now I face a new challenge—rehabilitation. I now need rehabilitation at the Zakhidnyi Rehabilitation and Sports Centre.

This is my chance to return to a full life, to regain my strength, and hopefully, in the future, to return to the military. But without the support of friends and compassionate people, this journey will be difficult.

So, I’m reaching out to ask for your help in raising funds for the rehabilitation that I so urgently need. Every contribution is a step toward my recovery and restoration.

Thank you for your support!

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Thanks to the support of caring individuals, we helped Dmytro to recover from numerous injuries. He successfully completed a 30-day rehabilitation course at the Zakhidnyi Rehabilitation and Sports Centre. 

The rehabilitation yielded impressive results:

Improved physical endurance and strength: Dmytro made significant progress in physical performance tests. Intensive training greatly increased his tolerance to physical exertion.
Independence in daily life: He no longer requires assistive devices for mobility and is now completely self-sufficient in everyday activities.

Test results (before and after the rehabilitation course):

-   "Get Up and Go" Test: improved from 3.8 seconds to 3.1 seconds.
-    Speed on a 10-meter distance: increased from 3.12 m/s to 3.4 m/s.
-    6-minute walking test: improved from 703 meters to 779 meters.
-    Four-square test: improved from 6 seconds to 4.2 seconds.
-    Aerobic capacity (30 seconds on an EchoBike concept): increased from 697 W to 739 W.
-    Maximum power (EchoBike concept): increased from 1018 W to 1050 W.

These results showcase not only Dmytro's high level of motivation but also the professionalism of the rehabilitation specialists who contributed to his recovery.
 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000