Hi, my name is Sandra, and today I’m asking for something that feels deeply personal to me.

There is a small cat shelter in my hometown Slavutych — a town built after the Chornobyl disaster, a place that has already lived through more hardship than most.

And yet, even there, among all the challenges, one woman found the strength to create a little island of kindness.

This shelter is called “Sunny Cats of Slavutych.”

Diana, the woman who runs it, is completely on her own.

No staff.

No funding.

Just her, and more than 60 rescued cats who depend on her every single day — for food, warmth, safety, love… for everything.

I’ve been helping her for years, but this past year has been especially cruel.

The war made life unbearably difficult. Supplies are expensive, the town struggles, and people often can’t even support themselves, let alone animals.

But the cats don’t understand war. They only understand hunger, cold, and fear when no one comes.

Diana does everything she can, even on days when she’s exhausted or grieving. She still shows up for them. Because she’s all they have.

And I can’t let her fight this alone.