The Future for Ukraine foundation continues not only to provide critical prosthetic support to Ukrainians but also to contribute to the development of the rehabilitation sector in Ukraine. By investing in the education of professionals, we contribute to the health and dignified future of our defenders and civilians affected by russian armed aggression.
On January 24 and 31, Future for Ukraine and MCOP Ukraine, in partnership with the Dobrobut Academy Professional Development Center, delivered free training for Ukrainian doctors and rehabilitation specialists for the second time.
The shortage of expertise in working with complex injuries, including amputations, is an acute challenge for Ukraine today and will only grow over time. According to the National Health Service of Ukraine, cited by the National Institute for Strategic Studies (NISS), as of early 2025, more than 95,000 amputations have already been performed in Ukraine.
That is why professional education for specialists working with people after limb loss is one of the foundation’s strategic priorities.
Olena Nikolaienko, president of the FFU in the USAWe strive to be a reliable partner for medical professionals by providing access to high-quality education adapted to modern challenges and the needs of the sector. Our official status as a provider of continuous professional development, in accordance with the requirements of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, enables us to award credits in response to the real demands of the healthcare system. It is important for us that this education is practical and works every day for the well-being of Ukrainians
About the workshop “Rehabilitation After Amputation: Key Principles”
- Participants received 14 hours of unique practical knowledge covering the full patient path with lower limb amputation — from pre-prosthetic preparation to gait optimization.
- The program was developed and delivered by Farhad Ostovari — DPT, practicing clinician with more than 16 years of experience, and Clinical Director of MCOP Ukraine. He is the author of seven educational courses for physical therapists, and for over three years, has been working with Ukrainian service members who lost limbs due to the war.
- The workshop included hands-on practice and case reviews of patients with high-level amputations who underwent prosthetic fitting and gait optimization at MCOP. Participants were able to see how theoretical knowledge is applied to real clinical settings.
- 30 professionals working in rehabilitation medicine, surgery, physical therapy, and orthopedics attended the training.
Dr. Ostovari and his colleagues from MCOP regularly travel from the United States to Ukraine to share expertise that is critically important for the Ukrainian rehabilitation system today.
Dr. Farhad OstovariI have worked with people with limb loss for more than 16 years and have helped over 1,000 patients return to full lives after trauma. My clinical practice includes complex cases — multiple and high-level amputations, including hip and shoulder disarticulations. This is knowledge and experience that Ukraine needs right now. That is why I structured it into educational materials that can help address the deficit of expertise in the national rehabilitation system
Among Dr. Ostovari’s patients was Sashko Chaika, the first participant of the FFU prosthetics program with whom he worked for more than six weeks at the MCOP center in the USA. Oleksandr received a functional lower-limb prosthesis that replaces the function of the hip, knee, and foot. Today, he actively does what he loves — teaching acrobatics to children at his school — and raises his son.
Veronika Hrab, Director of the Dobrobut Academy Professional Development Center, noted that cooperation with Dr. Ostovari proved effective in the United States, providing extremely valuable and necessary knowledge for Ukrainian specialists.
Veronika HrabWe receive many requests for training, particularly in the treatment and rehabilitation of combat injuries. Today, not only physical therapists but also other medical professionals are interested in entering the rehabilitation field. This is a positive trend, because the war has dramatically increased the number of people who require long-term professional rehabilitation support after injuries
One of the participants, cardiologist Anastasiia, is considering changing her specialty. She attended the training to better understand the patient with limb loss recovery pathway. Being originally from the frontline city of Zaporizhzhia, which suffers from russian attacks almost daily, she is convinced that helping people recover from injuries is a priority now.
Yevhen Shapovalov, a vertebrologist within the Dobrobut medical network, joined the training because he believes rehabilitation in Ukraine must expand its capacity, given the scale of injuries, including amputations.
Yevhen ShapovalovTo respond effectively to today’s challenges, we must understand modern rehabilitation approaches after injuries, especially amputations. Since the demand for recovery after lower-limb loss is extremely high, we are considering sending our physical therapists for internships at MCOP Ukraine so they can later work with gait impairments within Dobrobut medical centers
At the end of the program, all participants who attended the lectures, joined practical discussions, and passed the test received continuous professional development (CPD) credits.
“For Future for Ukraine, it is an honor to support such educational initiatives in partnership with MCOP Ukraine. For us, assistance to people after limb loss is not only about prostheses; it is about the entire rehabilitation path and contribution to the development of Ukrainian professionals in the field,” summarized Kseniia Voronova, head of the foundation’s Medical Help direction.
About Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics (MCOP)
MCOP is internationally recognized for its deep expertise in treating combat-related amputations. Its physical therapists and prosthetists gained unique experience over more than 20 years at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, working with veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For over 17 years, MCOP served as an official partner of the U.S. Department of Defense in providing prosthetic care to American service members. Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the MCOP team has been supporting the recovery of Ukrainian defenders.
Over nearly 25 years of work, MCOP has progressed from training initiatives to developing its own solutions in prosthetics and adaptation, enabling people after limb loss to return to everyday life.
