For three years running, we have been taking part in the Boston Marathon alongside the One World Strong Foundation. This time, 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv will be running the course.

At the age of 7, the boy survived a rocket strike on Vinnytsia and lost his mum. He suffered severe burns and has been on a long road to recovery ever since. Over the years, he has undergone 36 operations — and his treatment continues to this day. Today, he goes to school, learns languages, swims, and enjoys music and dance. And now he is preparing for his first race.

For him, this race is about supporting others.

Together with the UNBROKEN Foundation, UNBROKEN Ukraine and the dobro.ua platform, Roman is launching a charity fundraiser. The goal is to raise 200,000 hryvnias to purchase surgical instruments for the burns unit at St Nicholas Children’s Hospital in Lviv.

It is here that they work daily with the most complex injuries and treat children with severe burns from all over Ukraine. The surgical instruments required by the unit are essential for performing operations, closing wounds and restoring skin. They directly determine how quickly and effectively a child can make their recovery and return to their normal childhood.

You can support Roman and his fundraising campaign on the Dobro.ua charity platform