Rehabilitation fundraising for Andriy Kovalenko
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Privat24Combat Experience
Since 2010, Andriy has served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Internal Affairs of Ukraine. At the time of the full-scale invasion, he was a senior weapons inspector. In February 2023, he voluntarily joined the assault unit of the newly created “Safari” Regiment and fought in the Bakhmut direction. Andriy was awarded the “Silver Cross” by Valerii Zaluzhnyi for his successful command of personnel in combat and effective planning and implementation of tasks.
History of the injury
He was wounded twice near the village of Kurdyumivka, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region. The last severe injury was on October 20, 2023. The first piece pf shrapnel went through his eye and lodged in his skull, where it remained, and another in his left shoulder and is still in his body. Two more were in the right leg, and the last fragment passed through the neck to the thoracic spine, breaking the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae and damaging the dura mater of the spine.
This caused paralysis of the lower body. The fragment was skillfully removed from the spinal canal by neurosurgeon Dmytro Ovcharenko at Mechnikov Hospital in Dnipro.
The first three months after the injury were very difficult both physically and psychologically.
Diagnosis
Asia C, which indicates an incomplete spinal fracture, which caused paralysis of the lower body, thus it is necessary to work on further verticalization and walking. Moreover, it is crucial to develop functional independence skills.
Rehabilitation
The struggle continues, and Andriy's will to live motivates him to recover. The progress is obvious: after 7 months of treatment and rehabilitation, Andriy has regained a subtle sensitivity in his legs and muscles, and strength in his injured arm. Rehabilitation is in process, and the doctors in the rehabilitation center in Odesa assure that Andriy, who has an incomplete spinal cord fracture, has every chance of returning to walking and functional independence. This requires a lot of work, time and money.
Fundraising for rehabilitation
The Foundation started raising funds for rehabilitation at the “Realive” Center in Odesa. The total amount for 6 months is 434,095 UAH ($10,588).
The After Service Foundation has already paid for 2 months of rehabilitation for Andriy.
At home, the defender has a wife and two sons waiting for him, which gives him strength in his fight for recovery.
