The Ukrainian athlete, record holder and champion of the 2004 Paralympic Games Anton Skachkov received a prosthesis from the state ten years ago. Since then, there has been no opportunity to replace the product that has been already worn out. Anton lost his right hand at the age of 13 as a result of an explosive device detonation. While still in hospital, he began training to regain some of the lost abilities and skills. After rehabilitation, he decided to try himself in sports for people with disabilities.
In ten years of performance in the national team, he became the champion of the Paralympic Games and the world record holder in the long jump. Today Anton works as a coach at a youth sports school for the disabled. In everyday life, he needs a functional mechanical prosthesis.
“The state does not pay for such prostheses. The last time I got a cosmetic one was in 2011 – a useless thing”, says Anton Skachkov. The Red Line Charitable Foundation has collaborated with the “AE. BRIC ”(a branch of Otto Bock in Ukraine) to help Anton get a prosthesis that will allow him to do his daily activities and coaching, drive a car, ride a bike, go fishing with his family and be as independent as possible.
“With this prosthesis, I can take a phone, a glass. Now I can fish, life is much brighter. The new prosthesis will also help in coaching. When I work with children, I need to use sports equipment. A mechanical prosthesis is too expensive to buy. I am grateful to the fund and the specialists of the prosthetic company”, said Anton Skachkov.