Soldier Oleksandr Pasichnyk, call sign PCHELA

I serve in the 22nd Brigade, 1st Mechanized Battalion, where I was mobilized on February 14, 2023. From that day, my life like the lives of thousands of our defenders — turned into the path of war — harsh, exhausting, but necessary.

I served in Kherson region, Donetsk region, Sumy region, Kharkiv region. Each direction meant new battles, new threats, new losses. But despite everything, we held our ground and stood firm.

On September 18, 2024, on the Sumy front our unit was carrying out combat missions. After repelling an attack, I sat for a moment in the trench to catch my breath… and at that moment mortar fire began. A shell landed exactly where I was.

Impact. Blood. Pain. And the thought: “This is the end…”

As a result of the explosion, I suffered severe injuries: the small and large intestines were damaged, the wing of the pelvic bone was fractured, my body was pierced with multiple fragments, and one large fragment entered the hip joint. In those moments, I was sure I would not survive. But my comrades, despite their own concussions and wounds, did not leave me — they pulled me out, administered first aid, and saved my life. I regained consciousness in the hospital.

Unfortunately, a serious problem remains. Many fragments could be removed, but one large fragment is still lodged in the hip joint and is destroying it. The doctors are unequivocal: without a joint replacement, I might lose the ability to walk, because the joint is almost destroyed. I move only with crutches. The only path to a normal life is surgery to replace the joint.

My dream now is simple — to walk again without crutches, move independently, make plans, and return to a full life. I want to recover, I want to live, I want to be able to be useful. But the cost of surgery and rehabilitation is far too high for me alone. That is why I am forced to ask for help.

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The fundraising campaign for endoprosthesis surgery for defender Oleksandr Pasichnyk, callsign PCHELA, has been successfully closed. The implant has been purchased, and the surgery has already taken place. This is the result of people’s support — those who donated, shared the campaign, helped with organization, offered a shoulder to lean on, and didn’t walk past.

Sincere thanks to everyone who cared, to our fundraising partners, and to each person who contributed with kind words or actions. Special gratitude to the medical team and rehabilitation specialists for their professionalism and care.

Recovery lies ahead, and the path to a full life won’t be easy. But now it is possible.

Thank you for making that happen. Together, we truly can restore active lives.

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 95,000