Categories: INTERVIEWS

From rescuer to prosthetist: the inspiring journey of Viacheslav Zaporozhets

Dear Friends and Community X,

A meaningful video about me and my activities has been released on the @Sho_Tam_ channel. Our center, @endoprotezcentr, and the rehabilitation center, @tytanovirehab, are in need of funding. We will be able to help more veterans if we have the financial support. Please join the fundraising effort and share this widely. Every month, we provide reports, and every penny is spent on treatment, prosthetics, and rehabilitation for military personnel. We are very grateful for your support!

Payment details: Monobank: send.monobank.ua/jar/8FAySL8Rum

PayPal: endoprotezcentr@gmail.com

Ukrainian millionaire who first rescued civilians now provides free prosthetics for soldiers.

“Helping a soldier who defended our country, even if you don’t know them personally, brings a pure sense of joy. I encourage everyone to get involved in this,” Viacheslav Zaporozhets says.

In peacetime, Viacheslav Zaporozhets built retail networks in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, he used his Lexus and Nissan vehicles to evacuate people from Bucha, Chernihiv, and Kramatorsk. He also turned his estate, complete with a cinema and swimming pool, into a shelter for displaced persons.

His first experience with an amputee deeply affected him. “The first amputee I encountered was a civilian from Chernihiv, a severely injured people named Katya, Anatoliy, and Sashko. It was March 2022 – I saw an amputation for the first time. Later, I sent Katya to Germany. I realized that amputation is very complex and always life-threatening. That’s when we started focusing on prosthetics.”

Viacheslav concentrated on aiding injured defenders, noting the particular challenges faced by soldiers with short residual limbs, as conventional prosthetics are not suitable. Along with doctors, he wrote to leading global surgeon Ricard Branemark, whose father, Per-Ingvar Branemark, invented the osseointegration method—implanting a prosthetic directly into the bone. This method is a lifesaver for high-level amputations but is complex and unique, with no previous application in Ukraine.

“Within a couple of days, we received a response: ‘I agree to come to you in May 2023.’ We were simply amazed and agreed.”

Ricard not only came to Ukraine to train surgeons in the osseointegration method but also brought three prosthetics and installed them for free. He continues to assist Viacheslav and his center. “He said, ‘I do this in memory of my father—he passed away in 2014.’ It was very inspiring. Ricard says, ‘I do this not for money; I do it for our soldiers.'”

Oleksandr was the first patient to receive osseointegration for his left arm and a bionic prosthetic in May 2023. He had been defending Ukraine since 2015 and stopped an enemy tank with his own body during the battle for Debaltseve. He survived by a miracle but lost his arm and sustained severe damage to his left side. For eight years, Oleksandr used a mechanical prosthetic until he met Viacheslav. Now, he not only has a cutting-edge bionic arm but also works as a bioengineer in the center’s laboratory. “We explore various types of prosthetics. We already have several combinations of prosthetics. There are some great hand prosthetics with many functions, and we want our veterans to have the best.”

Anton is another patient who became a staff member and manages the bionic lab. He sustained a triple amputation near Bakhmut and is also awaiting osseointegration. “I want to emphasize that the center helps guys whom other prosthetists have turned away or offered unsatisfactory solutions,” Anton Ivantsiv says.

In its first year, the center has provided prosthetics to over a hundred soldiers and performed 31 osseointegration surgeries. All services—operations, prosthetic fitting, rehabilitation, etc.—are provided free of charge. “We work with the state wherever possible through state prosthetics programs. We have three regular donors, but they cover only 10-20% of our expenses. Everything else comes from fundraising, social media, and, unfortunately, banks and collections,” Viacheslav Zaporozhets says.

Currently, Viacheslav is focused on expanding the center, dedicating all his efforts to securing funds for this purpose. He has put his business on hold because helping soldiers is the top priority. “Right now, with the war ongoing, you can’t focus on earning money. You need to think about doing good and volunteering,” Viacheslav says.

Join in supporting Viacheslav’s center! Besides funds, they also need rehabilitation specialists. If you are a soldier with a severe amputation and need help, reach out to Viacheslav! “A soldier should contact us through any messaging app or email—both are available on our website. Or contact me directly—my phones are always open. I remember all my patients. It’s like family,” Viacheslav says.

Viacheslav Zaporozhets