Living again: rehabilitation after trauma

Today, the Center of Complex Rehabilitation "Halychyna" stands as one of the primary recovery hubs for those affected by the war. The center simultaneously provides treatment to around 300 patients, including service members with combat injuries as well as civilians recovering from strokes, complex surgeries, or living with musculoskeletal disorders.

We are launching this fundraiser to upgrade the equipment in the Center's ergotherapy (occupational therapy) room and provide specialists with the essential tools they need for their work.

Ergotherapy Saves Lives Rehabilitation is often viewed merely as muscle training or learning to walk on prosthetics. However, there is another equally vital side – restoring a person's everyday independence. Ergotherapy is like learning to live all over again, but under entirely new physical conditions. Step by step, patients rebuild basic yet life-essential skills: from using keys, cooking, or dressing independently, to riding a bicycle.

A 19-year-old young man found himself at the Center after a severe injury and amputation. He shares:

"There is no goal, only the path. It was the same for me. I understood that I had to work hard even before getting prosthetics. When I received them – great, now I can develop and learn anew. My family rushed to help, but I argued with them to keep their hands off. It was crucial for me to do everything on my own, so my mom would understand: I can manage. My limbs hurt in ways that are hard to imagine. It was incredibly tough, but I didn't back down".

Every day, these attempts to push through the "I can't" are accompanied by grueling physical and phantom pain. The young man recalls that in such moments, a rehabilitation specialist must become a true friend and a mentor who guides you forward.

"It is crucial to have specialists by your side who break down every detail and patiently explain how each muscle group works now – just like explaining things to a child sitting down to do homework for the first time".

It is ergotherapy and modern training equipment that help conquer this pain, transforming initial confusion and total dependence into confident autonomy. They restore what the war tried to strip away – a person's everyday independence and dignity.

For patients to successfully walk this path, the therapy room must have a modern foundation. Missing the first months after an injury due to a lack of proper equipment causes muscles to weaken and joints to lose mobility, making subsequent recovery significantly harder and more painful.

With the funds raised through this project, we will be able to purchase:

• PDT-1 mirror therapy boards and ARAT tests – for the treatment of phantom pain and assessment of hand function,

• Theraband FlexBar trainers – for muscle development, scar tissue work, and preparation for prosthetics,

• neurorehabilitation kits – for restoring sensitivity and coordination of movement after injuries,

• Vitility and Easi-Grip adaptive devices – for independent dressing and personal care.

Your contribution will help equip an occupational therapy room where dozens of people every month will take their first independent steps toward an autonomous daily life.