Walking Again: PBV Delivers Rehabilitation Robots to Ukraine
Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV) has provided material support to hospitals in Ukraine and assisted cancer patients evacuating from Ukraine to neighboring countries.
Three years have passed since the beginning of the attacks, and unfortunately, the war has yet to end, forcing many Ukrainian citizens to live under extraordinary circumstances. The Ukrainian medical project “UNBROKEN,” supported by PBV, is based in a group of hospitals in Lviv and includes a complex medical facility with a surgical ward for treating lacerations and burns, a rehabilitation center, and a mental health center to help overcome trauma, all of which are available to care for injured citizens.
Using donations collected from companies and individuals, PBV presented two walking assist robots, RE-Gait, to UNBROKEN. Prior to the presentation, PBV conducted a series of online meetings with UNBROKEN from November 2024 and in April 2025, PBV invited Dr. Liubov KOLOSHYNSKA, a member of the UNBROKEN project and a practicing doctor at the National Rehabilitation Center, to visit Japan. The purpose of this invitation was to allow her to observe the clinical use of the latest walking assist robot “RE-Gait” utilized in Japanese rehabilitation facilities, as well as to undergo training to understand the operation of RE-Gait with a view to its use in Ukrainian hospitals.
While the term “walking assist robot” might evoke images of a large machine, RE-Gait is a relatively compact device worn on the ankles and waist during rehabilitation. Patients suffering from walking difficulties due to brain injuries can regain their walking ability by repeatedly performing walking training for about 20 minutes each time while wearing RE-Gait. Although mainly used in Japan until now, the device underwent customization before being entrusted to Dr. KOLOSHYNSKA. This included translating the operation tablet used by doctors into Ukrainian and producing larger shoes to accommodate the physique of Ukrainian patients.
The two RE-Gait units are now with Dr. KOLOSHYNSKA at the hospital in Ukraine. We hope that through their future use, many people will regain their walking ability and return to their normal lives.
PBV will continue to provide updates about this project.