{"id":191055,"date":"2026-09-04T13:51:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T10:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tdmu.edu.ua\/blog\/2026\/09\/04\/misiya-kanadskogo-veterana-v-ukrayini\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T21:23:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T18:23:44","slug":"misiya-kanadskogo-veterana-v-ukrayini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tdmu.edu.ua\/en\/blog\/2026\/09\/04\/misiya-kanadskogo-veterana-v-ukrayini\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mission of a Canadian Veteran in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jacob Kepka, a 68-year-old Canadian veteran and former U.S. Marine who has lived with a leg amputation and used a prosthesis for more than 20 years, is undertaking his second cycling expedition across Ukraine.<\/strong> The journey began in Lviv on August 24<\/strong> and will conclude in Kyiv. Over the course of six weeks, Jacob plans to cover more than 2,000 km<\/strong>, travelling through Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, and Bucha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After travelling from Ivano-Frankivsk, where Jacob actively participated in a conference, he also visited Ternopil.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the conference \u201cLimitless Possibilities. Amputation. Rehabilitation. Social Adaptation 2026,\u201d<\/strong> he shared his personal experience with veterans, spoke about his journey following amputation, and described his return to an active life. He paid particular attention to communicating with future specialists, showing interest in the education of master\u2019s students enrolled in the Prosthetics and Orthotics<\/strong> educational and professional programme, as well as in the training of future prosthetists and orthotists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacob Kepka speaking at a conference in Ivano-Frankivsk<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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During his stay in Ternopil, Jacob Kepka visited Ternopil National Medical University, the Recovery rehabilitation department for military personnel, the \u201cReturn\u201d Mental Health Centre, the \u201cRazan\u201d Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Centre, and the \u201cGarta\u201d Prosthetics and Adaptation Centre.<\/strong> Meetings with military personnel and veterans are a particularly important part of his journey. During his meetings with veterans, he openly shares his personal story, talks about his path from injury to an active life, and motivates others not to perceive amputation as a limitation of their potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cReturn\u201d Mental Health Centre<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u0420\u0435\u0430\u0431\u0456\u043b\u0456\u0442\u0430\u0446\u0456\u0439\u043d\u0456 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0446\u0435\u0434\u0443\u0440\u0438 \u0432 \u0446\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0456 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432\u2019\u044f \u00ab\u041f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacob Kepka talking with staff at the prosthetics workshop of the \u201cRazan\u201d Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Centre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At the \u201cRazan\u201d Prosthetics Centre<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cGARTA\u201d Prosthetics and Adaptation Centre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meeting with veterans at the \u201cGARTA\u201d Centre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For his work supporting people with amputations, Jacob Kepka was included in the list of \u201cFive People with Amputations Who Changed the World in 2024\u201d<\/strong> by the American publication Amplitude<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Jacob uses his personal experience to raise awareness of the rehabilitation and social needs of people with amputations. To this end, he founded HopeRaising Expedition<\/strong>, an international initiative aimed at promoting the idea of an active life and creating new opportunities for people with amputations, regardless of their physical abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meetings with Jacob Kepka are not only an opportunity to exchange experiences but also a reminder that everyone has their own path from injury to an active life, but that path is possible.<\/strong> We thank Jacob for his openness, sincerity, and meaningful conversation with our veterans and future prosthetics and orthotics specialists.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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