€16k needed to pay for major surgery

A Ukrainian woman, who fled the war in her homeland and is now rebuilding her life in Ireland, has launched a heartfelt GoFundMe campaign to try access potentially life-changing surgery abroad.

Oleksandra Naidonova (38), who lives in Cavan Town with her husband and daughter, is appealing to the public to help her raise €16,000 to travel to Turkey for surgery that could significantly improve her mobility and reduce the constant pain she endures due to Cerebral Palsy.

Born prematurely at seven and a half months in Crimea, Oleksandra was diagnosed with the condition shortly after birth. From the very beginning, her life has been shaped by the constant struggle of having to overcome her physical limitations.

“I was able to hold my head up only by six months and sat up on my own only by the age of two. I couldn’t walk. I had severe spasticity; my legs were crossed and twisted,” she recalls.

Intensive physiotherapy and sanatorium treatments enabled her to take her first supported steps at age five years and, incredibly, by age six, Oleksandra had learned to walk independently, albeit with great difficulty.

Her gait was “unsteady”, and she lacked balance, she says, but Oleksandra's determination never faltered.

“Since childhood, I’ve prayed to God, asking Him to heal me. I often asked: how did this happen? Who is to blame? Why me?” she reflects.

Despite facing bullying - “other children didn’t want to play with me and often laughed” - Oleksandra’s remained determined.

She was homeschooled for most of her early education because of her disability and yet defied all expectations by completing secondary school and later enrolling in university, where she earned a Masters Degree in Economics.

Her academic success marked a turning point, but her personal journey was not without hardship.

Oleksandra's parents, unable to cope with her condition, withdrew their support.

“They said I wasn’t like others, and that my place was with people ‘like me’ - meaning sick people,” she says.

Alone, Oleksandra set out to build her own life. She moved out, rented a room, and supported herself through college.

During her university years, she met Pavel, a young man from Zaporizhzhia who also grew up in Crimea. Like Oleksandra, Pavel had experienced hardship, having lost his parents at a young age.

The two bonded and eventually married, settling in Zaporizhzhia and welcoming a daughter, Margarita, now almost ten years.

Despite doctors insisting Oleksandra have an abortion, she chose to keep the child. “This became the greatest gift from God. Our daughter was born healthy, smart, and talented,” Oleksandra says proudly.

But the outbreak of war in Ukraine upended the family's lives once again.

Oleksandra and Margarita fled to Ireland, initially finding shelter in a student dormitory in Waterford in 2023 before moving to Carrick-on-Shannon. Pavel later joined, and the reunited family eventually settled in Cavan Town.

“We really enjoy living in Ireland, and we would not want to return to Ukraine. Even after the war ends, the situation there will still be difficult: it will be emotionally hard to live in such an atmosphere, it will be impossible to raise children in a normal society, and job opportunities will be scarce,” she says.

“For many reasons, we have decided that we want to stay here in Ireland and build our life here. In the future, we hope to buy or possibly build our own home. We have many plans and a great desire to make them come true, as long as we have the strength and opportunities to do so. For us, Ireland is a wonderful country with vast open spaces, beautiful landscapes, and incredibly kind, caring people who know how to enjoy life.”

Her relationship with their parents meanwhile is now generally positive, and she has always made an effort to maintain that. They communicate online and Oleksandra also stays in touch with her younger sister, Nastya, who lives in Crimea with her family.

Several close relatives - including her parents, sister, and Pavel's brother - remain in Crimea despite the ongoing war. “We still consider Crimea to be part of Ukraine, despite the difficult and dangerous situation in the region. We worry about them, but despite all our pleas for them to leave, they remain firm in their decision. This is their choice, and we must respect it.”

Yet for Oleksandra, the dream of walking without pain remains unfulfilled.

“With age, my condition worsened: back pain became unbearable, there were cramps, numbness in limbs, and worsening coordination and balance,” she details.

Determined to find a solution, she began researching medical options and eventually found a clinic in Turkey, where a team of doctors claim to have developed a treatment plan that offers real hope.

Oleksandra lives in daily physical pain but attempts to ease the worst of it through regular exercise, swimming, and physiotherapy. Swimming and massage help relax her muscles and reduce spasms, and though she occasionally needs Pavel to administer pain-relief injections, this is “rare” thanks to Oleksandra's attempts to maintain an active lifestyle.

The surgery, led by a neurosurgeon and an orthopaedist, would aim to reduce Oleksandra's spasticity, straighten her legs, and significantly improve both her balance and mobility.

“I’ve found doctors who are ready to help by performing surgery that can reduce spasticity, straighten my legs, and give me the ability to walk more freely, with less pain and more dignity,” she told the Celt.

The full cost of surgery, treatment, and rehabilitation comes to nearly €24,000, excluding travel and accommodation. Oleksandra’s GoFundMe campaign seeks to raise at least €16,000 to help cover a major portion of this cost, with the goal of undergoing surgery before she turns 40 - an age she describes as “critical” for success of this treatment.

Doctors estimate that she could see a 60 to 70% improvement in her condition, with reduced cramping and pain, and a major improvement in her ability to move independently.

“I am, without a doubt, afraid of the upcoming surgery. I am afraid because any surgery is difficult, especially at my age. I am also afraid because this opportunity, one I have been waiting for all my life, came so unexpectedly, which brings strong emotions. But all the worries are nothing compared to the hope and faith in the best possible result,” says Oleksandra, who's family all believe such a chance “comes once in a lifetime, and not to everyone, so I want to do everything I can to take it.”

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