‘The spirit of Ukraine’: Fundraising journey begins for man with cerebral palsy
- News Article
- Jul 7
- 1 min read
They call him the Ukrainian Terry Fox.
Born with cerebral palsy, Ukrainian man Oleksandr Kyyanytsya, set forth on a walking journey from Calgary to Banff on Thursday to raise money for medical equipment for the front lines in war-torn Ukraine.
The goal is to raise at least $20,000 during the July 3-28 walk, which will see Kyyanytsya make stops in Cochrane, Bragg Creek, Canmore, and Banff.
Roman Yosyfid, with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Calgary, told a crowd of supporters that the start of the journey marked a unique and powerful event.
“Despite the daily pain (Kyyanytsya) has, Oleksandr works to show that there is no true barriers to hope and determination,” Yosyfid said.
“More importantly, he works for those who cannot.He has named his journey the Gift of Walking, the reminder not to take for granted, the everyday ability so many of us overlook.”
Kyyanytsya, who lives in Montreal, said that it was very important for him to do this. He’s lost friends and loved ones in Ukraine’s war with Russia, and he wanted to do something for those countrymen who remain at home.
“I hope that my work gives very big results. Save a lot of lives,” he said.
“You have to be strong and help each other, just be human.”
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