Trigger warning: violence, war

From student to soldier

Oleksandr is a 25-year-old young man from Ukraine. He graduated from university with a degree in marketing, but he did not stay in civilian life for long. He worked for about six months before being mobilised into the military.

In November 2022, Oleksandr was wounded near Bakhmut:

At that time, the commander was wounded. Since I had the most combat experience among all the guys who were there, I led the assault. And during this assault – at the end of it – I was injured in the neck.

As a result of this injury, Oleksandr’s spinal cord was severed at the level of C6, resulting in paralysis of almost his entire body.

Active rehabilitation gives direction

Today, Oleksandr lives in Kyiv, where he is undergoing rehabilitation. He is being assisted by the Active Rehabilitation Group, an organisation supported by the League of the Strong through one of the European Disability Forum (EDF) Ukraine Projects, financed by CBM.

The young man was told about this organisation by a journalist he knew. She also shared with him the contacts of Ulyana and Vitaliy – the leaders of the organisations.

So I signed up for an active rehabilitation camp. At the time, I didn’t get into the camp because my condition was still quite weak. But I left an application,” says the young man. “I contacted Vitaliy. He shared his own experience, gave me some advice, and advised me on issues related to my injury.

Oleksandr, Ulyana and Vitaliy met soon afterwards at an event. Oleksandr also met another of the organisation’s leaders, Oleksiy. Since then, Oleksandr and Oleksiy have been in constant contact.

Sharing of experiences is crucial to recovery

Oleksiy became Oleksandr’s mentor. He tries to visit the former soldier at his home every week. They go for therapeutic walks together, talking about various aspects of life with an injury. They have even been fishing – they conducted a so-called relaxation rehabilitation.

The organisation also provides better wheelchairs and devices to make them more comfortable for members. Oleksandr shares:

(The wheelchair) affected my mobility. The previous chair was not an active type. It was wider than I needed… And it was uncomfortable because it was difficult to control it. Now with my Panthera, I am more mobile: I can go through doorways, I can go down the street on my own, and it has become easier for me to support myself. This wheelchair cannot be compared to the one I had before!

Plans for the future

Oleksandr is now boldly planning his future after the rehabilitation journey.  He wants to return and arrange his own home so that it is comfortable.  He intends to continue his studies and work in the IT sector. For Oleksandr, it is important not to stop. He realised that he can live with a spinal cord injury and be free, successful and happy – thanks to the example of the leaders of the Active Rehabilitation Group.

Oleksandr shares:

I received a lot of advice about my injury, because Vitaliy and Oleksiy have similar injuries. I understand that there are no identical ones, but still… they understand me like no one else. That’s why I got such practical advice on how to be in everyday life. The most important thing is everyone’s own example: you can be absolutely self-reliant, mobile and independent!

These words are very valuable because one of the main principles of the organisation is “peer-to-peer” learning.

Vitaliy adds:

We don’t teach, we share our experience. It is by our own example that we motivate people to return to the most independent life possible, to defend their rights and freedoms and feel worthy.

More info

The organisation is able to provide high-quality wheelchairs thanks to the support of Legacy of War foundation. The anti-decubitus cushion for Oleksandr was provided by partners Your Health Trading.

The activities of the Active Rehabilitation Group are made possible with the financial support of the CBM and the European Disability Forum, thanks to a grant from the League of the Strong NGO. The views expressed in this material are those of the NGO Active Rehabilitation Group and therefore do not in any way reflect the official opinion of the financial partners.

Through the EDF Ukraine project, GAR provides consultations on housing arrangements, and helps to correctly issue and submit applications for changes to make the environment.