5 kilometers that matter

At the age of 7, Roman Oleksiv survived a rocket attack on Vinnytsia and lost his mother. In July 2022, he was waiting with her for a doctor’s appointment when Russian rockets struck the city center. The boy suffered severe burns over 45% of his body. Since then, he has been on a long road to recovery. During this time, he has already undergone 36 surgeries – and his treatment continues to this day.

Today, Roman is 11. He goes to school, studies languages, swims, and has returned to ballroom dancing and playing the accordion. And now he is preparing for his first race – the 5K at the Boston Marathon, which will take place on April 18.

"I’ve already started training. I want to prove to myself that I can run it, and show by my example: you can do more than you imagine," says Roman.

For him, this race is about supporting other children who are now going through the same journey he once did.

Together with the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center, the UNBROKEN Foundation, and the dobro.ua platform, Roman is launching a fundraising campaign.

The goal is to raise 200,000 hryvnias to purchase surgical instruments for the burn unit at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv.

It is here that children with severe burns from all over Ukraine are saved every day. Many such injuries require not just a single procedure, but long-term and phased treatment. Surgical instruments are critically important, as they allow doctors to close wounds and heal the skin. The speed and outcome of recovery directly depend on their quality.

Join Roman’s fundraiser! Your support will help children regain a happy childhood.