Valentina and Vitaliy both suffer a spinal cord injury and move on a wheeled chair. Vitaliy is from Donetsk region. He is a public activist, sportsman and person who founded an organization for people with disabilities in the native city. Valentina is from the Kyiv region, and she loves creativity in different forms and home cosiness.
The couple got acquainted in a Crimean health resort and quickly understood they should be together. They married and built their nest in Debaltseve. However, 2014 changed everything. Once disturbances began, Vitaliy understood that they wouldn’t live in the occupation, and they left the town. First, a couple stopped at Valentina’s parents’ house. Then, they were living in their own house.
February 24, 2022. “I was alone at home. Vitaliy was at the Cancer Institute. I woke up to some strange sounds. I couldn’t even imagine it was a war … I was scared to be alone,” Valentina said. Vitalii didn’t hear the explosions. As a result of chemotherapy, his hearing was broken. They joke that it’s even good as he can rest while ignoring the sounds of shooting and explosions.
“First, we didn’t even think about leaving the house. There was a fear of leaving your own home again. At the same time, we understood that living in the occupation is impossible… We hesitated for a long time, but our bag was packed. We seriously started to think about the evacuation after reading Ulyanya’s post about their departure from Bucha. We thought about what to do without light, water, or gas”.
On March 11, 2022, the couple was already in Lviv. They went by a non-adapted bus. A friend guided them to their destination. He carried them in and out on his own hands several times during the trip.
Why have we chosen Lviv? The decision wasn’t spontaneous. We thought about everything ahead and agreed on comfortable conditions for people with a disability and about our stay at the rehabilitation centre “Galicia”.
We have chosen Lviv not only because it is a safe city: Vitaliy hoped for treatment at the oncology center but didn’t receive proper care there.
“In Lviv, we were already in need of hygienic and other products, so we turned to the ARG and filled out the questionnaire at the website.” Ulyana Pcholkina and Tanya Fomina brought us anti-decubitus cushions and other stuff that they had received from Polish friends. The girls talked to us and informed us about the possibility of helping with the search for housing and medical support in European countries.
If not for health, the family would live in a relatively calm Lviv. However, they cannot lose the possibility of solving their medical problems.That’s why a couple needs to go to a place where they can receive help.
Uliana Pcholkina strongly recommended that Vitalii try to evacuate. A few minutes of a meaningful conversation with Maria Sklyaruk about further steps, trust in GAR leaders, the organisation’s reputation, detailed information about the evacuation process, and needed assistance helped the family decide to leave.
Vitaliy and Valentina quickly thought it over and decided. It was a difficult, even painful, decision for them as that was the second time when the family needed to leave their native home through the war with Russia and the risk of occupation.
GAR organized Svyatoshenko’s transfer to the “Safe House” near Wólka Cecowska, Poland.
Despite comfortable living conditions, good attitude, complete feeling of peace and hope, a confidence that “We did it right!” appeared only after a nurse from a specialized clinic in Switzerland assured: “We will help you”. After all, providing qualified medical care was the first reason for the family to go abroad.
Valentina and Vitaliy are in Switzerland in the best European clinic specialising in spinal injuries. Here, they receive qualified medical help, which is extremely important to them. At the earliest opportunity, the couple plans to come back home.
Our GAR team is very happy to be involved in such good deeds.
