A New Leg, A New Hope

At a clinic in Poznań, Poland, 72-year-old Vladimir Grankin was learning to walk again, finally realizing his long-awaited dream of wearing a prosthetic limb. He diligently worked on his recovery with his daughter, Iryna, by his side, gripping assistive bars and feeling the supporting strength beneath his amputated leg. It felt truly wonderful to stand up and walk independently!

The septuagenarian hails from Ukraine, from the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, a conflict zone between Russia and Ukraine. Heavy casualties were sustained there after the Russian invasion began, so Grankin and his family fled to the city of Trostianets in search of refuge. “But when we arrived,” he said, “we found that it had also become a controlled area of the Russian military, presenting a new challenge for our survival.”

Three weeks later, with the help of a volunteer organization, the family managed to escape from Ukraine to Poland. As if the challenges of being a refugee were not hard enough, Grankin was hit with an unexpected curveball when he was diagnosed with an aneurysm in his right leg. Though he endured six surgeries, he couldn’t escape the fate of an amputation, leaving him reliant on a wheelchair for mobility.

Tzu Chi volunteers met the family in March 2023 while distributing blankets to Ukrainian refugees. By June, the foundation had initiated long-term care to them, with volunteers conducting monthly visits. Grankin wasn’t the only member in his family facing health issues; his wife, Olga, required thyroid and hip replacement surgeries. Their daughter had to assume the responsibility of caring for her parents, making it impossible for her to work outside the home. Needless to say, the family was confronting significant economic difficulties.

After the amputation, Grankin dreamed of standing up. In order to raise money for a prosthetic limb, which amounted to 23,400 Polish zlotys (US$5,790), the family sold his paintings and applied to the Polish government for Ukrainian disability equipment subsidies. Even with these efforts, they were still 40 percent short of the required funds.

In August 2023, Tzu Chi volunteers from Europe called on Grankin at his home while visiting Poland. While at his home, they purchased his artwork out of their own pockets to support him in maintaining dignity while striving to stand up. However, as time passed, Grankin’s muscles continued to atrophy, making the installation of a prosthetic limb more difficult. Tzu Chi thus decided to help him out by covering the remaining necessary funds of 9,400 Polish zlotys (US$2,345), customizing a prosthetic limb to fit his leg shape. Volunteers from Poznań accompanied him to a clinic for the fitting on November 20. After a prolonged wait and moments of discouragement, hope had finally arrived for Grankin.

Under the patient guidance of Dr. Tomasz Stachowiak, Grankin tried the prosthetic limb. A physical therapist explained that Grankin would undergo an intensive, 80-hour rehabilitation regimen to help him get used to the prosthetic. With the artificial limb on, Vladimir seemed to return to his youthful self, his face beaming with joy and a sense of anticipation for the unknown. Gripping the assistive bars, he took one step after another, practicing walking. His wife said, “Thanks to the Tzu Chi Foundation for their selfless assistance. Now, my husband can walk freely and start a new chapter in life.”

For more than a year, Tzu Chi volunteer teams have consistently extended assistance to Ukrainian refugees. Grankin was but one of the examples. In October 2023, for example, the foundation, in cooperation with 11 organizations, launched distributions of eco-blankets (made from recycled plastic bottles), food packages, and cash cards in Warsaw, Poland, and Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, both in Ukraine, for Ukrainians affected by the war. The aid was projected to sustain 30,000 people for two months.

With the help of physical therapy, Grankin’s steps became more confident. Seeds of hope sprouted for him in a foreign land. Love and compassion are helping Ukrainians get through a tough time, but everyone sincerely hopes that the war comes to an end soon and that every step forward for the world is a step away from conflict and toward peace.