War-affected Ukrainian children meet Pope in Rome
Patients from the UNBROKEN Kids Center visited Rome, met with Pope Francis, and received blessings, the National Rehabilitation Center UNBROKEN Ukraine reported on Facebook on May 30.
Their journey was made possible by the 5P Global Foundation, which invited ten families from various Ukrainian regions to visit Rome in celebration of Children's Day.
These Ukrainian children, all with harrowing experiences of mine-explosive injuries and limb amputations, bear the scars of Russia's war against Ukraine and its attacks on civilians.
"Among the patients are Yana Stepanenko, a girl who lost both legs due to attack on the train station in Kramatorsk," the center said.
"And 10-year-old Mikhaylik, who sustained a head injury from shrapnel during shelling on New Year's Eve."
The main purpose of the children's trip was to shed light on the lasting impact of war on both adults and young Ukrainians.
"At first, our UNBROKEN children were blessed by Pope Francis at the Vatican before joining the grand celebration of Children's Day at Rome's 'Olympic' stadium," the report said.
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