Stronger Together | Together we are stronger | Healing Ukrainian Defenders

Challenges of Veteran Rehabilitation in Ukraine
📌 The full-scale war has caused hundreds of thousands of complex injuries and traumas for Ukrainian defenders, requiring rehabilitation that can last for years.
🤕 Veterans face severe physical injuries, neurological complications, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), necessitating a comprehensive professional approach.
😥 Veterans like Oleksii Vasyliev (injured near Bakhmut) and Oleksandr Dyuzhykov (captured, tortured, and suffering from acquired epilepsy and neuralgia) highlight the lifelong impact of war injuries.

"Together We Are Stronger" Rehabilitation Program
🌟 The project, "Together We Are Stronger: Healing and Restoring the Lives of Ukrainian Defenders," is a cross-border partnership between Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
🤝 Initiated by the "Shlyakh do Sebeye" (Path to Self) Charitable Foundation in collaboration with VeternansHub Odesa, the program offers a 14-day comprehensive rehabilitation course.
📅 The program includes over 25 weekly procedures, covering accommodation, psychological support, and medical supervision, aiming to restore 68 Ukrainian veterans.

Therapeutic Components and Veteran Feedback
💧 The core of the program utilizes thermal mineral water for baths, pearl, and carbon dioxide treatments, along with underwater massage and pool gymnastics to improve mobility and circulation.
🔬 Modern physiotherapy methods include laser therapy, magnetotherapy, electroprocedures, ultrasound, and microwave therapy to reduce inflammation and stimulate tissue regeneration.
👍 Veterans reported significant improvement in well-being, reduced anxiety, and increased mobility, with one noting that the Czech treatment helped mitigate severe pain from seasonal temperature fluctuations.

International Support and Visibility
📰 During their stay in the Czech Republic, veterans met with local authorities and journalists, gaining media coverage in local outlets which highlighted the importance of international solidarity.
🤝 The project received a warm welcome in Teplice (a city with 3,000 Ukrainians among its 50,000 residents), involving meetings with the deputy mayor and expressing mutual gratitude between the hosts and the veterans.
🙏 The continuation of such rehabilitation efforts is critical, as the need will persist for at least the next 5 to 10 years post-conflict.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Long-term commitment is required for veteran rehabilitation, expected to be a key national challenge for the next decade.
➡️ The Czech rehabilitation course features intensive schedules, including daily thermal pool use and a variety of specialized procedures, offering veterans much-needed rest and recovery.
➡️ International partnerships, like the one with the Czech Republic, are vital for providing specialized, comprehensive care unavailable domestically.
➡️ The project relies heavily on financial support from partners and benefactors, with special thanks extended to Santuario de Fátima.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Mar 03, 2026, 14:17 UTC