12/11/2018
Please Help the Young Ukrainian Veterans Suffering From PTSD to Gain Their Second Chance
For: UA Army Veterans who fought in Eastern Ukraine.
The Story:
First of all, I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my page and reading about our project.
Our team of Ukrainian like-minded people and patriots united in the 'Renatus Social Rehabilitation Fund' (Renatus SRF) have one mission: to create a small rehab center for veterans who defended our country and freedom in eastern Ukraine and were wounded while doing so. These men and women suffered amputations, or severe mutilation, and serious psychological damage. To help them reintegrate into society and restore their independence and vital activity, we are raising funds for a veteran’s rehabilitation center.
Renatus SRF is a nonprofit organization that has a medical license and a small staff of specialized doctors.
Our goal is to collect $18,000 through this platform. Thanks to one of our team members, we already have a 8,611 Sq Ft (800 m²) house in the Odessa suburbs available for the rehab center, rent-free. The house consists of 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a laundry room, a full-size kitchen and a dining room, and room for a future group therapy zone, spa, and fitness area, and is on 1.48 acres of land (0.6 ha).
Two local private companies agreed to fully fund the future activities of the veteran’s home, pay the bills, medicines, food and staff work. They will also be ready to provide a bus if we reach our goal and will be able to prepare the campus for work. We have a preliminary agreement with the local authorities to cover most of the overhead costs when we begin our activities.
The purpose of the veteran’s center is two-fold: to assist in the reintegration to civilian life of the men and women who have been injured in the service of Ukraine’s freedom, and, equally important, to prevent the terrible rate of su***de for our returning heroes. Currently, over 1,000 returning veterans have committed su***de upon their return to civilian life. That’s 4-5 young men and women every week. We believe that with better reintegration and treatment, this rate can be greatly reduced if not eliminated altogether.
In Ukraine today, there are more than 1.6 million veterans (the average age is 35 years old), which is 4% of the total population of Ukraine. Up to 80% of them have, to varying degrees, some signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which are manifested in aggression and an inability to reintegrate into a peaceful life.
PTSD is a real problem. Those who suffer it, suffer from nightmares, nervous reactions to noise, depression, and suicidal thoughts. This greatly affects themselves, their families, and their friends. Some take drugs and alcohol, others retreat into themselves and cannot function.
There is insufficient government money for rehab, so only 42% of all those in need managed to undergo treatment in 2017, according to the State Service of War Veterans Affairs. Today, about 20,000 soldiers are in dire need of rehab.
Because our country is still under the severe pressure of external military aggression, our government is forced to spend huge amounts of money to repel the invaders and preserve our territorial integrity and freedom. This leaves very little money for soldier rehabilitation to civilian life.
Funds are needed for the following:
Our initial fundraising goal is to raise $ 115,000. Thanks to the large grants received in Ukraine and donations from our friends, we have almost fulfilled the major tasks to achieve our goal.
We have almost finished building repairs, purchased cooking/kitchen equipment, fitness & gym equipment, household appliances and furniture, some medical equipment (magnetic and electrical stimulation devices). Sauna and exercise pool, outdoor sports facilities (football, basketball and volleyball courts) are under construction.
Thus, we need to raise an additional $18,000 to purchase basic medical equipment (sensor room, Spectra Color SPA System capsules, hyperbaric oxygen and laser therapy devices).
TOTAL $ 18,000
The first stage of the rehab center's work for our soldiers is to support rehabilitation efforts for 20-25 disabled soldiers who have returned from the war zone at a time. A second phase will expand our work to support 40-45 soldiers in need. In addition to psychotherapy, the rehab program will also include specialized physiotherapy, sports, hiking and fishing.
The State Department of Veterans Affairs has already provided us with a list of those most in need of psychological rehabilitation.
We hope your support will help the Renatus Center to accept the first veterans in January 2019.
To accomplish these goals, we are asking you now to provide support donations to the "Renatus"project on Facebook Fundraiser. Our success depends entirely on donor assistance, contributions from people like you.
Any amount will help and be very much appreciated. Financing our project, you help not only the veterans, but also help our young country in its democratic aspirations. I also hope you will share this campaign with your social communities to raise awareness. It's very important for us.
I thank each of you in advance, those who become patrons and those who may currently be unable to provide financial support but who can agree to share our message throughout your communities. Know that every contribution, large or small, earns our deepest gratitude and will be shared via social media.
Our team will personally distribute donors' funds and manage the Renatus social project.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me.
I invite everyone to follow our project along with me. I'll publish my reports every week.
It will be a great honor for us to invite everyone to the opening of the rehab center in a few months. You can get acquainted with my publications on my page, where since 2016 I'm striving to open or show my country in a new way to my foreign Facebook friends, to tell a story (both past and present) about the struggle of Ukrainians for freedom and independence.
Please accept my sincere gratitude for your consideration and support, helping me with this project!
Finally, be sure to share this campaign with your friends and family and have a share of their rewards too:-)
May God reward you all.
The following people are currently involved in this project:
Volodymir Gubanov, MD, psychotherapist, co-author project; Oleksandr Olezhich, MD, psychotherapist; Galyna Minchenko, methodist; Orest Ivanitsky, MD, physiotherapist; Alexey Dimitrenko, fitness coach; Vladyslav Zaitsev, history teacher, founder of the project.
Contact details:
Contact Person: Vladyslav Zaitsev
Tel: +38 050- 549- 3150
Contact Email: [email protected]
page: https://www.facebook.com/Odessa.Richelieu
Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/ZaitsevOdessa
