What Does It Take to Create a Prosthesis?

By Sofiia Tiapkina —

In the international community, arm prosthetics is a niche field. The loss of part or all of an arm is usually either a congenital pathology or trauma-related. In Ukraine, because of the full-scale invasion, the need for arm prosthetics has increased almost threefold compared to the military period of 2014-2022, and more than threefold compared to the pre-war period.

Even more important than the technologies in arm prosthetics are the knowledge and skills of the prosthetist and the patient’s work with an occupational therapist to master the device. Imagine all the elements that go into making every individually tailored prosthesis: the arm’s complex anatomy and biomechanics, the principles of restoring vital functions, determining the most appropriate design for the socket, considerations of weight, placement of fastenings, wrist flexion, and so much more. Every day, the industry moves forward — new types of fastenings, connecting features, and other components can significantly enhance the functionality of a prosthesis.

As Antonina Kumka, CEO of Protez Hub, explains, “Arm prosthesis is a delicate art — just like the human hand itself. Regardless of the advanced technology, we cannot hope to create a quality product without the proper education, experience, and investing our souls into the process.” Every device is the result of countless hours of preparation.

In 2023-2024, Nova Ukraine supported the Protez Hub team alongside the following businesses:

Protez Hub focused on developing a cohort of experienced professionals from various enterprises and regions in arm prosthetics and occupational therapy. They worked on mastering the fundamental principles of arm prosthetics, prosthetics for complex cases including those that use electric elbows and bionic hands, and mechanical prosthetics with different types of fastenings. They also learned about prosthetics for bilateral arm amputation to achieve maximum independence and prosthetics with functional prostheses for partial hand/finger amputation. The cohort also became versed in occupational therapy for upper limb amputation.

Learn more about Nova Ukraine’s Medical Team.

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What Does It Take to Create a Prosthesis? - Slide

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2024-08-09

Nova Ukraine’s New Initiatives in Supporting Ukraine’s Educational System

By Kristina Danilenko

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “over 400,000 young children — 47% of all children aged 1 to 6 — lack access to in-person early childhood education (ECE).”

The impact of the war perpetuated by russia on Ukraine’s education system cannot be overstated: school closures, limited access to devices and internet connectivity, coupled with the endurance of brutal attacks and destruction, has left 83% of young children in Ukraine increasingly vulnerable to mental health issues characterized by reduced social interactions, lower self-esteem, and constant stress due to violence.

More than 1,300 schools have been completely destroyed by russian bombardments. One in five children attend school exclusively online, yet regular power outages throughout Ukraine — with some regions lacking electricity for over 10 hours per day — warn that studying remotely will become even more challenging for students this year. Though refusing to admit it, russia has blatantly demonstrated that educational institutions are indeed military targets, and the aggressor aims to hinder the development of Ukraine’s future generation.

From the beginning of the war and throughout the countless challenges it has presented to young students, Nova Ukraine has been committed to instituting diverse educational programs in order to support children in their pursuit of knowledge. Since 2014, we have funded numerous STEM-based classes, summer camps, and projects in which children can learn and collaborate.

In 2023 alone, Nova Ukraine allotted $600,000 for such initiatives, and we continue to support these programs so students may build connections with each other as they learn. An additional major initiative Nova Ukraine actively pursued with the support of the Howard G. Buffet Foundation included the opening of 50 learning centers that gave students increased access to educational opportunities, stationary supplies, electronic devices such as laptops, and social interaction with their peers.

Nova Ukraine is currently organizing two additional projects to provide maximum support to Ukrainian students as we approach the beginning of the school year. The first includes our partnership with Dobrobat in the construction of a bomb shelter capable of providing safety for approximately 1,300 students, allowing them to pursue their education with reduced danger from russian strikes.

Through this infrastructure project, our ultimate goal is to provide students with the feeling of a traditional classroom environment without intense worries of air raids and evacuation protocols.

Our second project in the works involves the installation of a ventilation system at a boarding school in Mykolaiv. This critical procedure will accommodate the health and safety of over 500 students along with internally displaced persons residing at the school. As with the building of the bomb shelter in Mykolaiv, we aim to provide children the chance to experience a sense of normalcy and increased safety despite the aimless destruction brought about by the war.

The projects described above only scratch the surface of Nova Ukraine’s past accomplishments in supporting Ukraine’s educational system, along with the initiatives we envision for the future. Education is a vital component of rebuilding the country and allowing Ukraine to develop as a free, innovative nation.

There will come a time when Ukrainian students and children will no longer have to fear countless air raids, and will be able to pursue their educational ambitions without the debilitating stress of war. Until then, Nova Ukraine will remain committed to providing support for these educational programs and opportunities.

We kindly urge you to support Nova Ukraine’s vision and goals of providing Ukrainian students with a safe space to learn and grow as the war continues, especially during this critical juncture of an approaching school year. Help us plan accordingly for our students and sustain our current educational initiatives with maximum support.

2024-08-08

A Veteran’s Story

“I had four injuries, a concussion, and almost no strength left. I was ready to die. So I asked to speak to my family and told my friend to evacuate without me,” recalls Ivan.

Originally from Pervomaisk, Mykolaiv region, Ivan participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in 2014. At the beginning of the full-scale war, he did not hesitate to join a volunteer territorial defense battalion to defend Ukraine. Ivan and his comrades were tasked with defending the strait near Nestyryha Island.

“It was a small observation post, with fighting occurring 600-700 meters from us. When they started shelling our post, we constantly maneuvered. I was wounded in the abdomen and arm, breaking a bone. From that day on, my arm was useless. We were promised evacuation, but unfortunately, the boats could not reach us as they were being shelled,” Ivan recounts.

He and his team waited for evacuation for three days, but no one could get to them. During that time, he sustained two more injuries and a concussion. One day, they were ordered to evacuate on foot, throwing all their equipment into the water.

“It was tough; we evacuated in pairs, and at one point, my comrade was carrying my rifle because I had no strength. When we reached the water in a clearing, I realized I couldn’t go any further. I asked my comrade to call my family and let me speak to them. Then I yelled at him to leave me there. I already knew I was going to die. But I woke up alive the next morning,” Ivan says.

The veteran recalls that he immediately hid in the bushes, but he was spotted and came under fire.

“I think they decided I was dead because they started sending scouts, and I lay motionless for two days, in a broken position, so they gave up. I then crawled to get some water and was noticed by our drone. They sent water, some medicine, and then managed to get me out,” Ivan recalls.

Immediately upon evacuation, Ivan was taken to Kherson, then to Odesa, to one of the city’s medical facilities, where he underwent surgery. It turned out that due to constant shelling and pain, he had suffered a heart attack, and a stent had to be placed in his coronary artery. Now Ivan is on path to recovery as he undergoes rehabilitation far from the frontline. He will soon return to the hospital for recovery of his injured arm.

We are sincerely grateful to our reliable partner, Patients of Ukraine, for covering the critical needs of medical facilities throughout the country, enabling doctors to save the lives of patients affected by the russian invasion. For Ivan’s surgery specifically, the doctors used a coronary artery stent, coronary guides, and guide catheters provided to the facility with the financial assistance of Nova Ukraine.

We thank our defenders, who daily fight for our independence, sacrificing the most valuable thing: their lives.