1,000,000 US dollar grant from the Pfizer Foundation through the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS), which our foundation received in November 2023, not only helped us change the lives of 13 Ukrainian soldiers with complex amputations for the better but also has made a significant contribution to the development of the rehabilitation and prosthetics field in Ukraine.
With sincere gratitude to the grantor and recognition of the efforts of physical rehabilitation specialists and the entire support team of our veterans, we would like to report on the ambitious initiatives that our foundation managed to implement thanks to grant funds.
Prosthetics of the Ukrainian soldiers
You may watch a video of the soldiers taking physical rehabilitation classes on our Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/JMSxsabYH2LpXtx6/
Free training course for Ukrainian specialists in the field of rehabilitation and prosthetics
In June, within the grant, FFU organized and conducted professional training for Ukrainian physical therapists, and specialists in the field of prosthetics and rehabilitation from leading American experts from the Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics (MCOP) and CEO of “PT Education” Dr. Farhad Ostovari.
A five-day free educational and practical course on physical therapy for patients with amputated limbs, "before" and "after" prosthetics, was prepared and conducted by Dr. Farhad Ostovari. About 60 Ukrainian specialists from all over the country joined the course. Learn more about the event by following the link.
Go to the Future charity run in support of veterans with amputations
In June, we held the Go to the Future charity run in support of the Ukrainian soldiers who have lost limbs and received prostheses, or are waiting for prosthetics. The event brought together more than 1,000 people. These are professional runners, running enthusiasts, celebrities, and other active Ukrainians who want to show their support for the defenders. Anyone willing could cover a distance of 5 km, 2 km, or 600 m or join online from any part of the world. The children attendees were also invited to cover the distance of 200 m and 400 m. To read more details about the charity event, please follow the link. Also, watch the video from the charity run on the FFU YouTube channel:
"Thanks to the grant, we could focus on working with complex cases of military prosthetics and significantly contribute to raising public awareness through advocacy events. The Go to the Future charity run showed that such events are quite important to our defenders with prostheses — in overcoming the stigmatization of people with amputees in society. The great number of people, who came to support the defenders despite the heavy rain, was a testament that we are following the right path. The grant also enabled us to conduct training for the Ukrainian specialists in the field of prosthetics and rehabilitation, and unite around an important goal," says Olena Nikolaienko, president of the FFU in the United States and volunteer curator of strategy and development for the FFU International.
We sincerely thank the Pfizer Foundation and the King Baudouin Foundation United States (KBFUS) for the foundation’s support! The transparent activities of FFU gain the trust of foreign grantors, and it motivates our team to achieve more results for the better future of Ukraine 💙
