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GIFT OF WALKING © 2022
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I have suffered from cerebral palsy since childhood, the left side of my body does not work well. All my life, I’ve been forced to make enormous efforts to perform actions that people do automatically, without even thinking: eating, bathing, talking, walking.
It doesn’t matter if you are healthy or infirm (as they say in Ukraine).The only thing that matters is whether you open within you a door, guiding you to the ocean or to the top of a mountain!
I studied in Ukraine until I was 15. It was quite difficult. Not because I’m sick, but because I’ve disturbed many teachers. They said I was different, that I had to be sent to a special school…
My parents and I moved to Canada. It was very difficult, because I was already a teenager: I had to separate from my friends and arrive in a country with a completely different culture and mentality.
During the first two years, I studied French. Even if it was very difficult, I still learned it. Then, at the age of 17, we returned to Kyiv for an important surgery on both of my legs.
I had many surgeries, so many that I do not even remember the exact number.
Three months later, I returned to Canada. A whole year after the surgery, I could not walk and had to study in a specialized school. I had to learn again to walk and squat. During this time, I unfortunately could not finish high school, because I was not given such an opportunity. In that school, the teachers seemed to be disadvantaged by students like me, finishing school too quickly.
They kept me in the same grade and tried to make me think that I couldn’t finish high school because I didn’t have the capacity. It took me three and a half years to realize that there were no prospects.
Nine and a half years later, I could finally start university. Now, I study at the University of Montreal in the Faculty of Translation (English – French). I met great teachers there who always support me. In 2021, I started another college course in video editing…
I am very grateful for my life in Canada and for all the opportunities that are available to me, despite my condition. And now, more than ever, for the peaceful sky and the possibility to help my Motherland.
On February 24, 2022, the whole world was turned upside down because Russia violently and brazenly attacked my homeland.
I started thinking of a way I could help my motherland. Despite my condition, I like to walk, to walk a lot. I had the idea to walk from Montreal to the capital of Canada, Ottawa, and to raise funds for Ukrainian hospitals in order to support our doctors and give the possibility to wounded Ukrainian defenders and children to be treated.
I love my Motherland – Ukraine so much, and I want to do everything in my power to bring its victory closer and build together a strong, prosperous, wise and happy country.
Share the information about this event online and among your friends. This will help to involve as many people as possible in this fundraiser. You could help to buy prostheses for Ukrainian disabled children, citizens and military soldiers.
I will walk 200 km from Montreal to Ottawa to accomplish the impossible, for the innocent people injured because of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Thank you for your support.
Together, we will all participate and achieve the set goal with our capabilities.
Together we are strong and invincible. Together we are a powerful nation and an indomitable people with a centuries-old heritage and culture.
GIFT OF WALKING © 2022
All Rights Reserved
