Before the war, she was a cosmetologist. Later, she served as a combat medic near Bakhmut.
Olena joined the military in 2018. Not because she had to. But because she heard there was a catastrophic shortage of medical personnel. And she decided she had to do it.
Bakhmut. Chasiv Yar. The Donetsk and Luhansk fronts. Evacuating the wounded. And something she’ll never forget—children with severe injuries brought in from shelling.
Now she suffers from frequent headaches. She can’t hear well in one ear. Her knees ache. She has panic attacks. And she feels she’ll never be the person she used to be.
But she doesn’t stop. She rows, swims, and shoots a bow. She works with children. She supports veteran sports. She’s pulling herself together—with new experiences, into a new life.
There’s a Japanese technique called kintsugi. It’s when a broken object is repaired with gold. And it doesn’t become any worse. It becomes different. Special.
Olena is heading to Teplice, Czech Republic, for rehabilitation. Her friends have already been there—and they say things have gotten much better, both mentally and physically.
Now it’s her turn.
Every hryvnia you donate means a day of treatment for someone who has been through hell and wants to return to life.
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/fc9383589
Monobank: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/AY7YhwAZ2y
Together We Are Stronger
