15 years of searching, where every step is an effort and a test of willpower!

My name is Liubov, and I am a doctor at a military hospital. My story began romantically and thrillingly — with mountains, cliffs, and competitions! It was further fueled by equally impressive 100-kilometer runs in 24 hours along the Glory Belt (Odesa)! And ahead were always new peaks to conquer…

But an unfortunate falling rock in Crimea altered the course of my journey, making the preservation of my leg the central question. Eleven surgeries, repeated skin grafts, a pathological position of the stump — and that was just the beginning.

Specialists from the Ilizarov Center (Kurgan) managed to lengthen the stump by 4 cm and slightly correct its position. However, few were willing to attempt prosthetics, suggesting instead the removal of the leg first to the upper, then the lower (after bone fractures healed) third of the shin. They argued that this was the only method for prosthetics available in Ukraine.

But my heart told me there was always time to remove it later, and I needed to look for other options. Wearing boots year-round just to keep my leg in a shoe was merely a small detail…

15 years of searching, where every step was an effort and a test of willpower! My work at the hospital and in the operating room tested this resolve every single day. But the most important thing was faith in victory and the support of friends!

And finally, it happened! Those who seek always find, and everything happens in its time! The Tellus Center, for the first time in Ukraine, managed to create a silicone prosthesis that replicates the missing fragments of the foot and cushions the most painful areas!

Of course, running 100 kilometers is still a distant goal, but the most important thing is to believe, and then everything will definitely work out! And now, I can even wear heels! Thank you to all the specialists at the Tellus Center for their high professionalism, innovative approach, and understanding!