Alyona was 16 when she first started school. Before that, she had lived in a remote care home in Zabaykalsky Region for children with severe mental disabilities, even though she was mentally sound herself. When she arrived in Moscow, she couldn’t even read. Today, despite a spinal condition, Alyona lives independently, studies in a vocational school, and is also preparing for her wedding.
After many years in a wheelchair, Lilya is taking her first steps and learning to ski. Following treatment and rehabilitation, Stas, who previously could neither move nor speak, now plays wheelchair football.
All of these children have received help from the ‘Road of Life’ charitable foundation, whose doctors travel to remote children's care homes throughout Russia. After their medical teams assess the kids, they arrange treatment and rehabilitation in Moscow for those who would benefit from specialised medical care. The foundation also helps children find adoptive families and supports those who have grown up in care homes in learning to live independently. Most importantly, it helps them believe that they can choose their own future.
