On July 21, 2025, a PDMSh volunteer “Polyak” — was severely wounded on the frontline.
An incredible person and a brilliant medical professional, Polyak had been with us since the early days of the war. Whenever he had the chance, he would leave his hospital — where he headed a department well into his 60s — and rush to the front to save our soldiers.
The devastating injury occurred at a temporary base of one of the units supported by PDMSh’s medical mission. Veterans of PDMSh serve in that unit, so we learned of the tragedy almost immediately. Photos and reports made it clear: Borysovych was on the edge of life and death.
Everyone acted swiftly and professionally: military medics, a foreign anesthesiologist who provided first aid and stabilized him, the medical team that evacuated him to Zaporizhzhia, as well as Svitlana Druzenko and Mykolai Hoiko, who rushed there that morning — and the local doctors.
Despite the horrific wounds, Polyak survived. The next challenge was transporting him to the capital. We were told a dozen times: “The patient is non-transportable.” Aero-medical evacuation services turned us down. But we took the risk.
We are immensely grateful to our colleagues at MOAS, who provided a top-level medical crew, to Yana Zinkevych and our brothers and sisters at Hospitallers, who offered full support, to Oksana Korchynska, the team at Feofaniya Hospital, and to the dozens of military and civilian volunteers who offered and provided help.
Late in the evening of July 23, Polyak arrived safely at Feofaniya. We’ve won the first battle. But the long war for his life is just beginning. Sadly, Borysovych will never be able to operate again. Nor work. His treatment will be complex and lengthy. That’s why today we’re asking you to help us close this fundraiser — 100% of the collected funds will go to his family, who are now in Kyiv and in constant contact with us.
Thank you to everyone who stands with us in these difficult days.