Reboot the System. Reboot the Soul.

United Help Ukraine’s REBOOT initiative puts the individual at the center—walking alongside veterans through physical recovery, emotional healing, and the journey back to civilian life. At the same time, we strengthen the systems that support recovery—from hospitals and rehabilitation centers to education and reintegration pathways—because stronger systems create stronger futures for every person they serve.

Wounded Warriors Rehabilitation Initiative

The Wounded Warriors Rehabilitation Initiative is a pilot program developed in partnership with the National Ability Center (NAC) in Park City, Utah, through UHU’s REBOOT Initiative.

Our goal is to provide access to world-class adaptive rehabilitation for Ukraine’s wounded defenders, helping them rebuild physical strength, confidence, and independence after severe injuries.

We will bring 14 wounded Ukrainian defenders to the United States for a one-week adaptive rehabilitation program at the National Ability Center. Caregivers and two experienced group leaders will accompany the participants. The group leaders will then bring their experience and knowledge back to Ukraine.

The initiative is the first step toward a broader vision: expanding rehabilitation opportunities for wounded Ukrainian veterans and building long-term cooperation between U.S. and Ukrainian rehabilitation professionals.

A week of rehabilitation in Utah

From January 24–30, 2027, participants will take part in adaptive sports and outdoor recreation while benefiting from peer support at the National Ability Center’s 26-acre reserve and trail system.

The program will include adaptive skiing, indoor climbing, mountain biking, pickleball, sled hockey, a ranch challenge course, equine-assisted learning, yoga, hiking, and time exploring Park City and Utah Olympic Park.

Led by NAC’s experienced team, the program will help veterans challenge themselves, discover new possibilities, and build confidence and independence.

Our goal: $50,000

Funds will support international and domestic travel, ground transportation, travel insurance, participant and caregiver expenses, program logistics, and professional photography and videography.

Help us bring 14 wounded Ukrainian defenders to Utah to change their lives and the lives of many others.

Why this matters

Russia’s unrelenting aggression since 2014 has left an estimated 400,000 Ukrainian defenders wounded Moreover, according to a United Nations report, over the past four years alone, an estimated 100,000 defenders and civilians are living with amputations and require rehabilitation. Yet only about 4% of Ukrainian hospitals offer inpatient rehabilitation.

“Few things are more important for rebuilding Ukraine than healing and reintegrating the many wounded defenders reliant on prosthetics, physical therapy, and psychological support. Our partnership with the National Ability Center in Utah is part of the solution.”
— Maryna Baydyuk, President and CEO, United Help Ukraine.

Ukraine does have organizations doing important work in prosthetics, rehabilitation, and reintegration. However, the scale of need exceeds available capacity. More rehabilitation opportunities, trained specialists, and accessible adaptive rehabilitation and sports programs are urgently needed.

Behind these numbers are individuals and families facing physical recovery, emotional challenges, and the difficult journey back to family, community, sport, and civilian life. This initiative provides an opportunity to support individual recovery while building knowledge and partnerships that can contribute to greater rehabilitation capacity in Ukraine.

A model for Ukraine

Lessons learned in Utah will benefit many wounded Ukrainian veterans and the impact of the program will continue to grow. The two experienced veteran and rehabilitation leaders will carry knowledge and experience back to Ukraine and advocate for expanded rehabilitation opportunities. They will share best practices with rehabilitation professionals and veterans’ organizations and strengthen international connections. The group leaders are:

VADYM SVYRYDENKO
Advisor to the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on Rehabilitation of Combatants
Ukrainian combat medic, veteran, and advocate for the rehabilitation and rights of wounded defenders.

PAVLO KOZAK
Co-founder & Vice President, Tytany-Lviv Adaptive Sports Club · President, Lviv Wheelchair Basketball Federation
An advocate with 26 years of experience in active rehabilitation and adaptive sports, including 12 years working with veterans.

UHU and the NAC envision future exchanges between U.S. and Ukrainian rehabilitation professionals, which may include a trip by NAC specialists to Ukraine.

United Help Ukraine leads the Wounded Warriors Rehabilitation Initiative in partnership with the National Ability Center. Support from ambassadors, corporate sponsors, foundations, and individual donors makes travel and rehabilitation possible.