A Victory Worth Knowing About

If you ask, “Is all medical care free for our military?” most people will answer, “Yes, of course—it’s guaranteed by law.” But only those who have encountered so-called “free healthcare” in practice know that things are not always perfect, and that the National Health Service package has its limitations.

This story began in the spring of 2023, when “We Will See Victory” first faced the need to raise funds for biomaterials to restore vision. At that moment, we asked ourselves: why does one of the most critical procedures—corneal transplantation—require additional funding? As finding an answer took time, we chose to act.

Understanding the system, identifying the flaw, and fixing it at the state level is not a task for a month—or, as it turned out, even a year. But corneas that could restore sight to injured soldiers with blast-related eye trauma were needed immediately. That is why we launched an ongoing fundraiser to respond quickly and cover urgent needs.

We could have waited: first to find a beneficiary, then launch an individual fundraiser, order the material, verify it, and only then perform the surgery. But it’s hard to imagine what it means to lose vision fully or partially—and to wait every single day for the moment you can see light again.

For two years, we have been raising awareness, bringing volunteers together, engaging businesses, and—without unnecessary bureaucracy—meeting the urgent need for corneal transplants. Thanks to our experience and the support of the Ophthalmology Department of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 1 (headed by Nataliia Veselovska), we have:
✅ performed 27 surgeries;
✅ procured 31 corneas worth UAH 1.5 million.

But our greatest achievement is not in the numbers.

From the very first days this issue arose, it was taken up at the state level by Member of Parliament Hanna Purtova. Countless documents, draft laws, conferences, and negotiations with the Ministry of Health—this process lasted for months. It is difficult to fully grasp how much effort and time it required, but the result is clear: 🚀 From now on, the state fully funds corneal transplantation, including the biomaterial.

Our team is pleased to announce that we are closing the final fundraiser for the last cornea that was not covered by the National Health Service of Ukraine. Starting this month, the system should function as intended. We hope we will never have to return to this issue again—because many other challenges still lie ahead.

We are grateful to everyone who stood with us:
—to those who donated, shared, and supported;
—to the ophthalmologists of Kyiv City Clinical Hospital No. 1 for their professionalism;
—to Anna Purtova for resolving this issue at the national level.

The cornea fundraiser is now closed. The issue has been resolved. Moving forward! 🇺🇦