Success Stories

Julia Timofeeva has never seen her parents and grew up at the orphanage for children with disabilities in Belskoye Ustie of the Pskov region in Russia. Julia was born with Cerebral Palsy and loss of leg function, making her unable to walk. She needed surgery, proper prosthetics and long-term rehabilitation. Unfortunately, the orphanage did not have the necessary funds and medical expertise to assist Julia. Her future was bleak - spending the rest of her life in an institution for people with mental and physical disabilities.

RCWS received a direct donation of $9,000 designated toward treatment for Julia and her two friends. With the help of RCWS partner organization "Rostok", Julia was taken to the Albrecht Hospital for Prosthetics and Orthopedics in St. Petersburg, Russia where she had four surgeries on each leg. This was followed by intensive rehabilitation therapy provided by a massage therapist Nina Shavina, who took the girl into her own home for several months in order to help shape and strengthen Julia's legs muscles. There, Julia experienced for the first time the meaning of home and family.

All the treatment and efforts paid off. In January 2009, for the first time in her life, Julia was able to stand and make her first steps. She is now 22 but, because of a learning disability, must permanently remain in the care of others. After spending over a month in a clinic in St. Petersburg, her physical state has significantly improved. Julia now lives in Porkhov under the Rostok umbrella with Alexei Mikhailuk as her legal guardian. She was previously under the care of her therapist, Nina Shavina, but, after 2 years, Mr. Shavina was no longer capable of providing the necessary care seeing as she herself is disabled. Many thanks for her 2 year commitment to helping Julia!