From unable to unstoppable: Mykola’s miracle

Mykola, 17, is a sponsored child from our Ternopil site in Ukraine. Mykola was born with cerebral palsy, and requires ongoing clinical and therapeutic treatments. He is unable to care for himself and depends on his mother’s help full time, leaving her unable to work. His father is the sole provider for the family, but often struggles because he earns very little income. Mykola’s parents couldn’t afford to continue his costly therapy treatments on their own.

Mykola and his family were incredibly grateful when he was sponsored four years ago at the age of 13. Because of sponsorship, he was able to continue his treatments, and was able to explore new treatment courses, too! So far, Mykola has taken nine treatment courses at the Clinic of Kozyavkin, and has taken five Dolphin Assisted Therapy sessions. Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is used as a therapeutic approach for many disorders, and helps build muscle strength and motor skills.

Prior to sponsorship, Mykola’s speech was stilted, he suffered from constant seizures, and he had little control of his leg muscles due to his condition. Today, Mykola’s leg muscles are stronger and have become much more flexible. He no longer needs sedatives and rarely suffers from seizures anymore, allowing him to sleep comfortably throughout the night. Most noteworthy, Mykola, who had never spoken a word, is now able to say short sentences and walk short distances with support.

This success was an unforeseen blessing for his mom who said, “I never thought he’d be able to do so well. If he can do this, what else can he do?” We are confident that through continued sponsorship, Mykola will continue to thrive and it is our hope that one day, he will be able to walk on his own! This is just one of the many success stories that demonstrate how Chalice sponsorship transforms lives!

Mykola’s name is Ukrainian-derived from Nicholas, meaning “victory of the people”. This truly reflects the spirit of our supporters, knowing that if we all work together to help others in need, we will all be victorious.
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