Unique stories

“SUPER” – that’s Sascha’s first German word

Saschas is one of the children from Ukraine that KAKS brought to Germany in March 2022 because his cancer treatment in Kiev was not progressing.
We wanted to know how he and his family are doing almost 18 months after their escape.

“It’s difficult, we’re torn apart. We are very worried about Sascha, we have to be here to make sure he is well looked after. But our parents, who are still in Ukraine, are in a very bad way and we don’t know how to look after them from here. Watching the destruction of our homeland day after day in the German media is torture.”
Says Irina, Sascha’s mother.
The 38-year-old is trying to keep the family together.
The great feat of strength, you can see the strain of the last 18 months on her face.
The family originally comes from near Lviv.

They have now been living in a large apartment on a farm near Ratingen for 18 months. Essen University Hospital is only 25 minutes away by car. They are allowed to live here free of charge and are integrated into life on the farm. The eldest – Yuri – goes to the comprehensive school in Ratingen, in the integration class, and has made friends. His goal now is to finish school in Germany. For his little brother Sasha, he is the biggest hero and the biggest support – the two are inseparable. Yuri wants to stay here, with his little brother. Sasha’s illness has also changed him and he feels responsible. For his mother too. Even more so since his father returned to Ukraine at the beginning of the year. The grandparents could no longer stay alone – too ill and weak – someone had to take care of them. The father leaves the family behind in Ratingen. With a heavy heart. Since then, he has been looking after his sick parents. A return to his old well-paid job as an engineer is out of the question. Well-paid jobs are in short supply in this troubled country.

Irina has to stay in Germany with Sasha until Sasha is back on track.
They fought for his eye for nine months, then in October 2022 they received the news that the doctors were unable to save Sasha’s eye.
It was a shock for the whole family.
“It was the worst moment of our lives. We fought and hoped for so long, Sasha endured so many treatments. And yet the cancer won. We were desperate, but we understood that there was only one way. To save Sasha’s life. Sasha came through the operation well and we got used to the new situation faster than we thought.”

Sascha goes to a playgroup with German children for many months.
During this time, Irina finally has time for herself, she loves long walks and cycling.
She has made two friends in Ratingen – women whose husbands are also in the Ukraine – and their shared experiences bring them closer together.
Neither of them knows what will happen next.

But Sascha says “SUPER” – he is a bright, cheerful boy who has spent more of his life in Germany than in Ukraine, his parents’ homeland. The digger that the neighbors gave him and that he loves to play with is great, the eggs that the chickens lay and that he is allowed to collect are great, the swing that his father built for him before he left is great.
But the family is separated.
Sascha asks for his father every day.
Irina is certain: “One day we will return to our home, to our people, to our work, to our village. Because that’s where our life is. That’s where we’re happy.”
In July 2023, the homesickness becomes too much.
Irina and Sasha return to their homeland, to their large family near Lviv.
In the meantime, Sasha has even been to Kiev for his first follow-up examination.
Everything is fine. The family wrote us a long letter: “We will never forget what you have done for us.”

“SUPER” – that’s Sascha’s first German word

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