Give Veronika a hand

"My name is Aliona, and I am the mother of a twelve-year-old girl named Veronika. Until that terrible day, she was just an ordinary, bright child – always near, always smiling. She loved looking after her younger brother and sister, helped me with chores, rode the tractor with her father, and adored drawing at school. Her loyal friend – our dog Vovchyk – was always by her side.

And then came a morning I will never forget.

I was out in the garden when a gas delivery truck pulled into our yard to refill people’s cylinders. Within minutes, the shelling began.

The first were three artillery strikes. The first two shells flew directly over our house. The children were frightened, ran to their father, and all together rushed toward the cellar – right past that same gas truck. And at that exact moment, just ten meters away, the third shell hit.

But it didn’t end there.

The explosion knocked everyone unconscious. When my husband came to, he found himself completely engulfed in flames, and gas pouring from the truck. Blindly, through smoke and fire, he pulled the children out. A shard had torn off Veronika’s arm. Our younger son’s kneecap was shattered. And our middle daughter… she died right before Veronika’s eyes.

The two gas truck drivers burned alive on the spot. My husband’s brother – Veronika’s uncle – was also wounded; he lost his leg.

After the artillery strike, they continued hitting us with drones. The enemy deliberately targeted our yard and the roads, preventing us from putting out the fire.

The ambulance never came. We had to drive the children ourselves to the next village, and only from there an ambulance took them to Chernihiv. Veronika wouldn’t talk to anyone but me. Later, a psychologist began working with her, and slowly she started to return to life.

She had to learn to do everything again – with her left hand. She writes, draws, plays with her brother. Though her hand is gone, her will to live is incredible. And she has a big dream – a prosthetic that can move its fingers".

Currently, Veronika has a cosmetic prosthesis made in Lithuania. It isn’t functional – it’s issued at first for balance and adaptation. But Veronika wants more – she wants a true bionic arm that can hug, hold things, draw, write. And she has already proven she is ready: she learned to put it on and take it off by herself, to use it without fear or shame. The doctors were amazed at her determination.

"What is a bionic prosthesis, and why are we asking for help?

As her prosthetist explained, a bionic prosthesis is a complex, high-tech device that allows you to move fingers, hold objects, comb your hair, write, hug. This is exactly what Veronika longs for.

But due to Ukrainian Government Resolution No. 321, the state cannot provide a new prosthesis if one has already been issued – even if it is only cosmetic and does not perform the functions of a hand. Officially, we are considered "supplied" for three years. This means we will not receive a single penny from the state for a functional bionic prosthesis for at least three more years.

Everything happened right here, in our yard. At home.

This war is not somewhere far away. It came into our yard, destroyed our life, took Veronika’s arm, her father’s health, her uncle’s leg, her sister’s life.

And yet, Veronika endures. Strong, cheerful, radiant. She deserves a chance.

My little son, only four years old, says: "Veronika will have an iron hand, mommy". I pray to God that this comes true. That my daughter has the chance not just to survive but to live fully. To draw, to write, to play, to hug…

Thank you to everyone who helps. And please remember: the war goes on. And even if it seems “quiet,” somewhere nearby someone is losing the most precious things".