Help Yurii Smile Again

Imagine being only five years old and already knowing what it feels like for your own skin to hurt every time you grow.

This is Yurii’s reality.

Yurii is a beautiful little boy from Ukraine who has suffered devastating burn injuries. Today, he lives with severe burn scars covering his face, head, neck, and parts of his upper body. His medical records confirm extensive post-burn scarring and contractures that will require years of reconstructive treatment.

As Yurii grows, his scars do not grow with him.

Instead, the scar tissue becomes tighter, pulling on his face until the skin begins to crack. Simple things that most of us never think about—smiling, laughing, opening his mouth, or simply being a carefree child—can become painful.

Yet despite everything he has endured, Yurii continues to smile.

This September, hope arrives.

A reconstructive surgeon from the United States is traveling to Ukraine to perform Yurii’s first laser scar revision procedure completely free of charge. This extraordinary act of generosity gives him the chance to begin healing.

But this is only the first step.

Burn reconstruction is not a single surgery. It is a long journey that includes rehabilitation, specialized wound care, medications, scar therapy, follow-up laser procedures, and additional reconstructive surgeries as Yurii continues to grow.

Our dream is simple.

In about 18 months, Yurii will begin first grade.

We hope that when he walks into his classroom for the very first time, he will do so with less pain, more confidence, and the opportunity to simply be a child—not defined by the injuries he has survived.

Yurii has no mother or father to fight for him.

His biological parents have been deprived of their parental rights, and he is being cared for by a children’s institution in Ukraine. There is no parent sitting beside his hospital bed, worrying about the next surgery or how to pay for rehabilitation.

That is why I decided to step in.

My name is Yuliia, and after personally speaking with the director of the children’s home where Yurii lives and learning about his treatment plan, I knew I couldn’t simply walk away.

I wanted to give my friends, family, and everyone with a kind heart the opportunity to become part of Yurii’s journey.

Every dollar raised will go toward Yurii’s recovery, including:

* Post-operative rehabilitation

* Medications and wound care supplies

* Scar management and compression therapy

* Future laser treatments

* Reconstructive surgeries

* Other medically necessary expenses recommended by his doctors

I am committed to complete transparency throughout this fundraiser. I will share updates on Yurii’s progress and provide documentation of his treatment whenever possible, so every donor can see the difference their generosity is making.

No child should have to face this journey alone.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing Yurii’s story. Sometimes one share can reach the person whose kindness changes a child’s life forever.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving Yurii hope.

With gratitude,

Yuliia