Dozens of amputees took part in a charity half-marathon in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on September 3 to help raise money for children who have suffered traumatic injuries during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Amputees Run To Raise Money For Injured Children In Lviv Charity Race
Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have lost limbs as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine prepare to take part in a charity half-marathon in downtown Lviv on September 3.
Children with their prosthetics await the start of the marathon.
The event was organized by the UNBROKEN foundation, which is providing treatment for hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who have lost a limb and suffered other traumatic injuries as a result of the war.
The money raised will be used to finance prosthetics, treatment, and rehabilitation for injured Ukrainian children.
Hundreds of spectators and well-wishers cheered the amputees on as they made their way through the streets of Lviv.
Yana Stepanenko, a 12-year-old who lost both legs during a missile attack at the Kramatorsk railway station, takes the lead. Stepanenko and her mother, Natalya, who lost a leg in the attack, received treatment in the United States.
According to one expert specializing in blast injuries, for many amputees the hardest part of coping with their injuries is learning to live with pain -- pain from the prosthesis, pain from the injury, and coming to terms with permanent disfigurement and subsequent cosmetic surgeries.
Ukrainian soldiers and children are applauded along the way.
An unidentified child and Stepanenko proudly wear their medals after crossing the finish line.
Although Kyiv has not officially released any figures on the subject, it's estimated that upward of 20,000 Ukrainians have lost one or more limbs following Russia's invasion of their country.