Oleksandr Kyyanytsya, a 32-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian with cerebral palsy, will cross 200 kilometres by foot on Saturday to raise funds for Ukrainian children needing amputation surgery.
Starting in Montreal, the activist plans to reach the nation's capital in just two weeks despite facing significant physical challenges. At the age of 17, he had to relearn how to walk as he underwent a complex surgery on his legs in Ukraine due to his condition.
Having watched his native Kyiv region get bombarded for months, Kyyanytsya, who immigrated to Canada in 2005, decided to raise funds for children's hospital number two in Ukraine's capital.
"For me, it is very important because I understand that I have a handicap, but I want to fight for my country, for [Ukraine] to have a lot of progress, and help children who were attacked by the Russian aggression," said Kyyanytsya.
The hospital's trauma centre desperately needs more equipment to save the lives of children who lost their limbs as a result of explosions, according to his mother, Oksana Kyyanytsya.
As of July 15, more than 350 children have died and at least 650 more have been injured since the Russian invasion began in February, according to Ukraine's office of the prosecutor general.
"We even personally know people who died while volunteering in the Kyiv region," said Oksana.
On Friday, Oleksandr hosted a warm-up event at the Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit in preparation for the walkathon, where he finalized the plan with his team and greeted his supporters. He hopes to start his journey with the same energy that Formula 1 racers had on the track in June.
"My son is really inspired by people like Terry Fox, so he loves to walk despite how challenging it is for him," said Oksana, referring to the Canadian cancer research activist.
"In fact, the head of our volunteering group has already given him the name: Ukrainian Terry Fox," she added.
So far, Oleksandr has raised just under $5,000 with the support of Kyryl Bind, a fellow Ukrainian activist who will accompany the young man on his 200-kilometre journey.
The final goal, however, is much higher for Oleksandr as he hopes to raise at least half a million dollars for amputee children on his new GoFundMe page.
"He has the spirit of a champion," said Michael Shwec, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress' (UCC) Quebec branch. "We appreciate his determination, his willingness to go out of his comfort zone for this cause."
"We are feeling a little nervous, but we're also extremely proud of our son for helping our homeland no matter what," said Oksana.
Oleksandr will begin his fundraiser walk in Montreal's northern suburb of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
