Ukrainian teacher blinded in Russian missile attack: My sight was saved – thanks to the Mail…after readers donated £10,000 for eye surgery
- Olena Kurylo’s bloodied face was seen everywhere after the attack in Kharkiv
- Ukrainian teacher restored her sight thanks to our MOS readers
A Ukrainian teacher who was blinded by a rocket attack early in the Russian invasion has regained her sight thanks to Mail on Sunday readers.
Shocking photos of Olena Kurylo’s bloodied face were seen around the world after a rocket exploded in front of her apartment near Kharkiv just hours after Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded last February. The 53-year-old mother was left with glass in her right eye and hundreds of tiny shards embedded in her skin.
The MoS helped her get to Poland, where she had three surgeries to save her eye and prevent a potentially fatal infection. Polish doctors fixed her detached retina and filled the eye with silicone oil, but later had trouble removing the oil without detaching the retina.
Photos of Olena Kurylo’s bandaged face were seen around the world in the early days of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine
Thanks to Mail Force’s incredible donations, the money for Olena’s eye surgery was raised in 24 hours
In August, they concluded that the vision in her right eye could not be saved. But the MoS refused to give up and secured donations of £10,000 from our charity Mail Force to fund Olena’s treatment with consultant eye surgeon Tom Williamson at the world’s leading Center For Sight in London.
Her vision has now been restored after a 45-minute operation in which Professor Williamson removed the oil without detaching her retina.
She was hoping for 50 per cent vision in that eye but has 75 per cent – enough to pass a UK driving test. Prof Williamson said: “Olena has really good vision considering the trauma she has had. Much better than I expected. She will not need any further surgeries and can live without restrictions.’
Olena, who was warned that there was a one in ten chance the operation could fail, cried when she heard it was successful. She hugged Prof Williamson and said, “You cannot understand the joy you have given me.”
This means that she can start planning her future now. Speaking from her host’s home in North London, which was organized by the charity Refugees At Home, Olena said she hopes to be able to teach kindergarten children.
That weekend, British Airways flew them to Poland, where the MoS had rented an apartment, to recuperate. She is able to teach in the UK thanks to UK law firm Mishcon de Reya, who worked for free to get a visa through the Homes For Ukraine program.
Olena Kurylo with eye surgeon Professor Tom Williamson at her last appointment after successful eye surgery
Ukrainian teacher Olena Kurylo was blinded in a rocket attack
“I got my life back. The Mail on Sunday gave me this opportunity,” she said. “I would like to thank the newspaper and all readers who have donated money. I can’t imagine how I would look now if The Mail on Sunday hadn’t saved me.”
She plans to start a charity that will bring together Ukrainian orphans with parents whose own children were killed.