Cooperation between KOLO Charitable Foundation and First Volunteer Surgical Hospital “Brass”

Zinoviy Palianytsia, Yuriy Chmelyk, Ihor Ivasechka, and Pavlo Kovalchuk are united by two things: the injuries they received while defending Ukraine in the war, and medical assistance and rehabilitation at the First Volunteer Surgical Hospital "Brass" in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, supported by the KOLO Charitable Foundation.

The First Volunteer Surgical Hospital "Brass" in Ukraine is a medical rehabilitation facility that provides free surgical operations on limbs to wounded soldiers and all those affected by Russian military aggression. In addition to surgical interventions, the hospital offers patients the opportunity to undergo a complete cycle of psychological and physical rehabilitation.

The hospital has joined the ReHUB medical program and has become a partner of the KOLO Charitable Foundation in performing certain specific reconstructive operations, namely the restoration of lost functions of the hands and legs due to gunshot and bullet wounds. The hospital's specificity lies in reconstructive surgery related to specific fragmented injuries to the lower and upper limbs. As of April 2024, the foundation has provided financial support for surgical interventions and treatment for four patients.

"Everything was done at the highest level! I feel much better now! Doctors said I'll be running like Forrest Gump after rehabilitation," says Zinoviy Palianytsia.

"My hand is fine, although the bone hasn't fully healed yet. When it does, my fingers will regain their full function and be as good as new," says Yuriy Chmelyk.

Thanks to the financial support of the KOLO Charitable Foundation, five operations were performed, with a total cost of 145,377 hryvnias. Nine soldiers underwent comprehensive physical and psychological rehabilitation that costs 233,100 hryvnias in total.

At the hospital, a wide range of medical services is available, starting from surgical treatment for unhealed fractures, incorrectly healed fractures, multi-component acquired and congenital bone deformities, pseudarthrosis, bone defects, limb shortening, post-traumatic and other contractures of large joints, valgus, hammer-like and other finger deformities, and up to rehabilitation after surgeries, injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders through therapeutic exercise, mechanotherapy, and all types of massage, etc.

"I approached the KOLO Charitable Foundation with a request for financial assistance specifically for surgical operations and complex cases of soldier rehabilitation - often we cannot cover these expenses ourselves, but we have patients who require such treatment. Now I am very happy that together with the KOLO Foundation we can help more wounded soldiers, and even take on cases that require expensive materials for treatment. Together, we managed to perform surgeries, resorting to highly specialized orthopedics using a microscope, state-of-the-art arthroscopic equipment, real-time X-ray control. Some of the surgeries, due to their complexity, were performed with the involvement of orthopedists from other hospitals," says Stanislav Onyshchuk, the founder of "Brass."

In addition to operative surgical treatment at the "Brass" hospital, military patients can undergo comprehensive physical and psychological rehabilitation. For example, patient M. was operated on by the Brass medical team with funds from the KOLO Charitable Foundation in March 2024. A surgical operation was performed to restore the function of the fingers of the right hand (injury since 2018). Every day, a physical therapist "worked on" his hand. Physiotherapy specialists performed back massages, as the fighter had spinal problems. Treatment also included the use of electrostimulation. Psychological rehabilitation included consultations with a psychologist, hippotherapy sessions, as well as tourist trips, excursions to Transcarpathia, and art therapy.

Physical and psychological rehabilitation is a key part of treatment at the volunteer surgical hospital, which includes dozens of different methods, including mountain hikes, visits to museums and theaters, horseback riding, art therapy, various types of art, dancing, singing, and more.