Soldier Oleksandr, call sign is FEYKHOA

I am 24 years old. I joined the military back in 2019, because I have always believed that every man should go through this path. And when the country is at war, there is no other option. You have to stand up to defend it and destroy the enemy. I fought in the south, in my native Kherson region — where every meter of land has special meaning.

On August 23, 2022, at around 4:25 a.m., I was on combat duty. At that moment, russian troops struck our positions with artillery. I sustained a severe blast injury: damage to the spine and spinal cord, multiple fractures, and a spinal cord contusion. I remember crawling out of the tent myself after the strike, how paramedics picked me up, how the evacuation took place — first to Mykolaiv, then to Odesa.

After that, another war began — a war for the chance to live a normal life. I could not walk. A wheelchair became my reality. Doctors gave cautious prognosis, because no one knew for sure whether I would recover after such a severe injury. But I had no intention of giving up.

My recovery journey has been long and difficult. First — a wheelchair. Then — two crutches. Today, I can already walk with one cane. For some, this may seem like a small thing, but for me it is the result of daily exhausting work. I underwent rehabilitation in Modrychi for 10 months. I also completed a course at the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center.” It was here that I truly began to regain my ability to walk and return to an active life. I also trained independently at home.

I cannot imagine myself without the military. This is my path, my choice, my responsibility.

Returning to the ranks is my strongest motivation. My key goal is to completely eliminate my dependence on a cane. To achieve this, I need to significantly improve strength, endurance, coordination, reduce the risk of falls, and restore movement speed. This is a complex process that requires systematic and specialized rehabilitation under the guidance of highly qualified specialists.

That is why I need an additional course at the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center” of NCSIU. This is my chance not just to walk, but to return to the ranks, be useful, and continue my service.

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The fundraiser for rehabilitation for Oleksandr, call sign FEIKHОA, has been successfully closed.

We sincerely thank everyone who contributed through donations, sharing, and words of support. It is thanks to you that this became possible.

We received feedback from the chief physical therapist of the rehabilitation center regarding the rehabilitation outcomes.

The rehabilitation goals aimed at improving independent walking without the use of assistive devices through increasing overall strength, endurance, agility, and range of motion in the lower limbs have been achieved.

Test results:

  • 6-Minute Walk Test: improved from 293 m (Borg Scale 13 points, HR 155–184) to 340 m (Borg Scale 10 points, HR 165–184)
  • 10-Meter Walk Test: improved from 9.94 sec to 7.35 sec
  • Timed Up and Go Test: improved from 13.04 sec to 8.37 sec
  • Four Square Step Test: improved from 24.41 sec to 17.07 sec
  • WISCI II: improved from Level 14 to Level 20 out of 20

Today, Oleksandr is able to move independently over short and medium distances indoors without the use of assistive devices.

Specialists’ recommendations: to continue active rehabilitation in order to maintain daily physical activity levels and further improve independent walking without assistive devices.

We sincerely thank everyone who contributes to the recovery of our veterans.

The rehabilitation course for Oleksandr was paid for within the framework of the “CYBORGS REHABILITATION 2.0” program with the support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).
 

 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000