“Trauma changes a person, but it is not always for the worse. Often she discovers new powers and a new version of herself.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
My personal experience only reinforced this sensitivity. Fifteen years ago I got cancer. The doctors gave me only a 20% chance to live. It was a test that taught me to appreciate every day.
We all dream of reaching old age surrounded by loved ones, in good health and with a clear mind. But no one knows what will happen tomorrow. That is why I have had a tradition for several years: every meeting with my parents ends with a selfie. We live in different cities, and when we leave, we take a farewell photo. It’s a simple thing, but it reminds us: every meeting is priceless, because it could be the last.
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Appreciate life and loved ones every day. And at the same time – not to live in a sense of fate, but to plan for a long future. You need to be able to see the value in the little things, avoid unnecessary conflicts and protect those connections that are really important. The war added a new dimension to this awareness.
When we encounter the stories of injured defenders every day, we see how important it is not only to preserve life, but also to restore it to wholeness. One of the vivid examples for me is veteran Mykola Shot. He lost all four limbs, but remained a source of energy and joy. Other boys look at him and understand: if he is already in training, then everyone should get up and move. Mykola became our motivational coach, dreams of the Paralympic Games, drives a car by himself. His story proves that even after the heaviest losses, you can learn to live in a new way.
Trauma changes a person, but it is not always for the worse. Often she discovers new powers and a new version of herself. A person begins to ask questions: who am I now, what do I want, where do I see my place? And this is where the role of rehabilitation is important. After all, it is not only about restoring the body, but also about creating new meanings.
At the UNBROKEN center, we work comprehensively. Each patient receives help from a multidisciplinary team: doctors, physical therapists, prosthetists, mental health specialists. To heal the body and not take care of the soul is only half the help. Therefore, our patients undergo both physical and psychological rehabilitation.
But we go further. We create space for new hobbies: theater, painting, pottery, weaving, sports. One of our patients became so fond of the theater after being captured that today his plays have already been staged. Another discovered archery and is now studying to become a coach at the Institute of Physical Education. Blind Pavlo Martsenyuk makes incredible tableware to the touch in our workshop – things that fascinate even those who can see.
We see how new neural connections appear in the brain through such activities. This is scientifically proven – and it is called neurogenesis. A person finds a new lifestyle, sometimes not at all similar to the one before the injury. And this is exactly the power of rehabilitation: to help open new doors.
Another direction is entrepreneurship. It is clear that not everyone will become a businessman. But when the husband returns home after classes with burning eyes and a book in his hands, his wife says: “I haven’t seen him like this for a long time.” This is our victory – to return a person’s interest, inspiration, and thirst for life.
It is important to understand: rehabilitation, or rather rehabilitation (finding a new lifestyle) is the task of the entire society. Every city has a library, sports sections, clubs. Their doors can and should be open to veterans and patients. Everyone can contribute by offering a person an opportunity for development.
Rehabilitation also has an educational mission. Teachers, schoolchildren, businesses come to us to see how we work. Someone tells their story publicly and it becomes therapy for them. The main thing is to always have support and an example of care nearby. It is care that helps a person “come to life”, regain energy and faith.
Today in Ukraine we already have evidence-based rehabilitation, qualified specialists and more and more centers. If earlier people after strokes or injuries did not receive quality care, now the situation is changing. And this is an achievement that will stay with us after the war.
Society must also change. We have to become more patient, more empathetic, learn to properly interact with people in prosthetics or wheelchairs. Often we do not know how to behave, whether we need to help or it is better not to interfere. Therefore, education is important for children and adults. Children need to understand why people with injuries are around, at what cost they are received, and what this means for the future of the country.
Injuries are different. They are visible, those that can be seen visually, and there are invisible – PTSD, contusions, the consequences of captivity. A person can look perfectly healthy, but experience suffering inside. And that’s why empathy becomes the most important principle. This is the ability to put yourself in the place of another, to understand his pain, even if you cannot see it.
Rehabilitation is not only about medicine. This is an investment in the country’s human capital. This is the way to ensure that every person who has gone through a trauma finds a new meaning in life and can live it with dignity. And our future depends on how much we all can support this process.
Iryna ZaslavetsCEO of Unbroken Ukraine, director of communications and partnerships of the First Medical Association of Lviv, speaker of the “Education of the World” educational forum.
A column is a type of material that reflects exclusively the point of view of the author. It does not claim objectivity and comprehensive coverage of the topic in question. The point of view of the editors of “Economic Pravda” and “Ukrainian Pravda” may not coincide with the author’s point of view. The editors are not responsible for the reliability and interpretation of the given information and perform exclusively the role of a carrier.