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15.01.2025
Learning to Walk Again After Injury: the Story of 12-year-old Valeriia from Chernihiv
12-year-old Valeriia from Chernihiv is learning to walk again. Last summer (2023), she was badly hurt when Russian forces shelled her town, leaving her with serious leg injuries.
I saw something flying from up to down. I thought it was some kind of plane that would go up again, but it was a missile,
It was a sweltering day, and the city center was packed. Valeriia and her friend were selling handmade jewelry. When the explosion hit, Valeriia did not realize at first that she was hurt. In shock, she tried to run, not knowing how badly her leg was injured.
It was only when Kseniia (her friend — ed.) said, “Look at your leg!” that I felt the pain. It was awful,
Valeriia had to undergo several surgeries: skin grafting and implantation. Now, she is slowly and carefully getting around on crutches.
To help Valeriia deal with the trauma, she has been seeing specialists from the “Voices of Children” Charitable Foundation. They help her cope not only with the fear of air raids, but also supporting her through the grief of losing her brother. He died fighting on the front lines just a few months before Valeriia was injured.
To help Valeriia deal with the trauma, she has been seeing specialists from the “Voices of Children” Charitable Foundation. They help her cope not only with the fear of air raids, but also supporting her through the grief of losing her brother. He died fighting on the front lines just a few months before Valeriia was injured.
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