For the past four years, doctors, volunteers and family of the AFU colonel who is the patient of the Bioengineering Rehabilitation for Wounded project, have been cherishing hope that innovative cell technologies will allow to save the hero’s leg. A month ago, surgeons of the ilaya clinic performed a unique operation – they implanted a bone block grown out of the patient’s own cells, into his broken leg. There were rather little chances that this block will grow in well and contribute to fusion the injured bone. Still everyone kept believing in this, for our hero to be able to hear: “It all worked out!” some day.
During the regular check-up the Project’s doctor said that bone tissue has started to bulk in the area of transplantation, and recommended the patient to increase the workload on the treated leg. The next examination is due in mid-December.
Mr. Volodymyr has been quite a challenging patient. He is an AFU colonel awarded with the Third Class Bohdan Khmelnytskii Order for his heroic service in the ATO. At the beginning of the war, he used to be in command of a reserve tank brigade positioned in the town of Bakhmut (former Artemivsk). Then Russian militants managed to take over the town, still our military defended the unit where a few hundred tanks under the Ukrainian flag were stored, to the last bullet.
On the 24th of April, the military unit had suffered a heavy attack: about a hundred separatists and career Russian military attempted to take control of the base for another time. It was only the commander’s strict order to open back fire that stopped the aggressors.
Aftermath of the attack on the military unit
After the assault, the terrorists initiated real hunt for the commander. In June of 2014 the vehicle that was carrying the commander, got in a pre-planned trap. Terrorists opened heavy fire, destroyed the car and injured Volodymyr Ivanovych. Despite his being severely wounded, the colonel fought until the help arrived.
As a result of the well-organized work carried out by our military, three terrorists were destroyed and one arrested. Our commander was evacuated to hospital with the heaviest injury: the bone of his leg was totally crashed. Overall, the officer underwent seven unsuccessful surgeries which led to serious complications. Despite all medics’ efforts the leg failed to fuse; moreover, it got shortened to two centimeters, and a false joint developed in the damaged area.
The options that military medics offered, didn’t leave the colonel any chances for full recovery. Still Volodymyr Ivanovych refused to come back to the lifestyle of a retired military as he is aspiring to come back to the forefront. Naturally, it has become the matter of honor to do our best to help the Man who defended our homeland against the Russian invasion so courageously.
Dear friends, it is your assistance that allowed us to restore the commander. We are sincerely grateful for each your input that made both this officer and hundreds of other military, closer to their recuperation. The volunteers of People’s Project are proceeding with the Bioengineering Rehabilitation for Wounded initiative thanks to which we are going to save more lives of our wounded veterans. Go become a part of our joint victory and participate in the Project!
