Help for the wounded in Ukraine during the war

Surgery Under Threat: How a Missile Strike on Okhmatdyt Nearly Deprived Kyrylo of a Chance for a Healthy Heart

On July 8, 2024, a Russian missile struck the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital. Among the many children whose treatment was jeopardized was little Kyrylo. That very day, he was scheduled to undergo a life-saving heart surgery. However, due to the destruction and chaos in the hospital, all planned procedures had to be canceled.

For his mother, Evelina, this was a devastating blow. She had spent a long time anxiously awaiting this surgery, knowing that without it, her son's heart wouldn’t cope. Kyrylo had been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, a perimembranous ventricular septal defect, when he was just two months old. Since then, he had required constant care, and the family’s future hinged on that one crucial day, which was shattered by war.

But even in the face of such adversity, the doctors did not give up. After stabilizing the situation and exploring alternatives, Kyrylo was transferred to the M.M. Amosov National Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. There, surgeons performed a complex four-hour operation that saved the boy’s life. They successfully repaired the defect, and Kyrylo will no longer require further interventions.

For his family, it was a moment of relief after months of fear and uncertainty. Evelina and her husband couldn’t hold back their tears of joy and gratitude to the doctors, benefactors, and everyone who helped provide the resources needed for the surgery.

This story is yet another testament to the fact that, even during war, Ukrainian doctors are saving lives, and the support of compassionate people gives hope for a healthy future to those who need it most.