Oleksandr Kyyanytsya knows what it’s like to learn to stand, in every sense of the word. Suffering from cerebral palsy, this Canadian-Ukrainian not only had to fight to take his place in a world that reflected only his difference, but also relearn to walk following a leg operation at the age of 17 years.
“It was very difficult,” says the young Montrealer, who speaks impeccable French, but with a slight difficulty in speaking. “It took a year before I could walk again. I had to wear a brace day and night and could take it off for 20 minutes to get my knees used to bending. It hurt me, it’s as if it tore. »
Arrived as an immigrant with his family in 2005, Oleksandr had temporarily returned to Ukraine to undergo major surgery which consisted of “unfolding” the young man who was moving all curled up. “He walked with his legs so bent it was painful to watch him,” says his mother, Oksana. “After the operation, he was able to stand up. Oh, my God, he was so handsome and tall! »
As if to honor his recovered gift of walking, Oleksandr is now preparing to realize a great dream: to walk 200 km from Montreal to Ottawa, and perhaps even to Toronto if the weather permits. In this great challenge, whose departure is scheduled for July 15 at noon, he hopes to raise funds to buy equipment from hospitals to treat war amputees in Ukraine. And already, his campaign called the Gift of Walking has won the support of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and is working to rally other sponsors.
“He has had in mind the desire to help people like him for a really long time. He wants the disabled to have access to more services, but also to show them that they also have abilities. These are the two messages he wants to pass, ”sums up his mother, visibly proud. “The limits are in the head. If you want to go to the Indian Ocean, you can. »
Indian Ocean ? Olek has just been there twice. On vacation in the United States with the family, too. And this nature lover has walked the road from Prévost to Val-Morin alone at least three times to get to his favorite yoga center. Still, for him, walking is far from being a walk in the park. His problems with muscle coordination slow him down and give him a jerky gait. “It takes me 10 hours to cover 20 km,” explains the young man.
The “Ukrainian Terry Fox”
When the first shells started raining in the skies of kyiv, Oleksandr, whose large extended family is still in Ukraine, felt the need to make himself useful. But the voluntary work he did at the church with his mother, then within a group of Ukrainians who raised funds by selling small dishes, could not calm his helplessness. “I wanted to do something bigger for my country,” says Oleksandr.
He first talked about his idea to the president of his volunteer group. “You will be our Ukrainian Terry Fox! » she spontaneously launched, promising him her unwavering support. She then contacted Oksana, to inform her of the epic that her son was planning. But that came as no surprise to a mother who has watched her boy struggle his entire life to achieve simple things like drinking a cup of tea or putting on his shoes. “I believe in my son. When he says he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it,” Oksana says. “Even if he has a disability, he can do better than many citizens who have their arms and legs, but remain seated. »
The challenge is no less colossal, but after hearing the life story of the young quadrilingual student in translation at the University of Montreal, we quickly understand that he is up to his task.
At 15, while living surrounded by his family and friends who understood his difference, Oleksandr had to follow his parents, who had decided to move to Quebec to offer a better future to their offspring. For the different teenager that he was, it meant starting all over again: rebuilding a network, learning a new language, understanding how the health network works and, too often, fighting to get services… “He had to search and push a lot to [y] have access,” he says.
The preparation sprint
It is this ability to break down doors and constantly push back his limits that led him to imagine walking 200 km from one city to another, meeting the people he intends to raise awareness of the cause. Oleksandr has surrounded himself with a team of dedicated volunteers, including Kyrylo Bind, a Ukrainian from Jonquière who will be his guide from the beginning to the end of the adventure. “Kyrylo has done a lot of long hikes. He knows very well what to do in the forest,” says Oksana, relieved that her son has such a seasoned and generous sidekick.
Other volunteers are hard at work defining the route, looking for sponsors, booking accommodation and establishing contacts with the communities he will cross on his way. Oleksandr is also looking for good Samaritans who will commit to doing part of the trip with him while raising funds, free massage sessions and a wheelchair for the most trying times.
Because even if he is not the type to pour himself out, the young man recognizes that he fears thirst and a certain muscular fatigue. “After 20 km, it’s especially the lower back that starts to hurt a little,” he said simply, as if he was not about to achieve an extraordinary feat. But then, why walk? “Because I dance very badly,” he replies humorously.
But it is with the utmost seriousness that he talks about the financial objectives of his campaign “The minimum is $500,000, but I want to raise a million. It’s a number that came to my mind, just like that. ” Quite simply. Like putting one foot in front of the other. And go as far as possible to achieve your dreams.