Meet Inna – Ukrainian Combat Medic
Even the bravest warriors face battles that go beyond the frontlines. Today, we would like to share the inspiring journey of Inna, a 26-year-old Ukrainian combat medic whose story embodies courage, resilience, and the healing power of sport.
A multitalented professional from Odesa, Inna built an impressive civilian career spanning public service, journalism, education, and entrepreneurship. Working as a coordinator at an international educational center, a producer and journalist on television, a music therapist for children, and even running her own Social Media Marketing studio, she channeled her diverse skills and compassionate nature into helping and serving others.
Inspired by friends already serving, Inna made the courageous decision to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As a combat medic, she faced the unimaginable daily—organizing evacuations of the wounded and fallen from the most dangerous battlefields including Vovchansk, Bakhmut, Soledar, and Mariinka. Her commitment to saving lives continued until November 2023, when near the village of Rozdolivka in the Donetsk region, she sustained a gunshot wound to the neck and a concussion.
For Inna, swimming and alpine skiing aren’t just sports—they’re pathways to recovery. The Invictus Games represent more than competition; they offer a chance to heal alongside fellow veterans and build lasting emotional resilience. Through her participation this past February, she transformed physical challenges into triumphs of the human spirit.
Even The Brave Struggle reminds us that acknowledging our mental health challenges doesn’t diminish our strength—it reveals our humanity. Inna’s journey shows us that with support, determination, and courage, we can overcome life’s most daunting obstacles and find new purpose.
Become a part of someone’s healing journey. Your donation to the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal’s Even the Brave Struggle campaign, running until April 6th, 2025, will help provide mental health services and rehabilitation to veterans and address other urgent humanitarian needs in Ukraine. Your contribution today will be doubled thanks to the Myhal Family Foundation, which is generously matching donations up to $1 million until April 6th.
Background
CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been established jointly by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) to formalize a coordinated approach in providing humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need in Ukraine to address any further aggression by Russia. The main efforts of cooperation are to provide humanitarian relief in the areas of assistance to displaced persons, medical care, emergency shelter and food security.