Serhii wasn't home when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He was living with relatives during his glioblastoma treatment, which was soon put at risk by the war.
Although the full-scale invasion didn't immediately reach Kropyvnytskyi, where Serhii was receiving care, it caused numerous problems that made his family worry for their future.
"It was very difficult... There were interruptions in the supply of medicine, and prices went up. This treatment is rather expensive, and with the outbreak of war, our family faced difficulties with work," says Alyona, Serhii's wife.
While the entire Ukraine was overshadowed by the war, Serhii's tumor was progressing.
Although the doctors at the local TomoClinic oncological center were very helpful, they too understood that the treatment could not continue in such conditions. Alyona remembers the doctors searching everywhere for the medicine her husband needed. But each effort like that was a disaster, setbacking Serhii's recovery.
Soon, Serhii's doctors found a supportive program in Europe that could provide for Serhii's treatment and urged him to take the chance.
Neither Alyona nor Serhii wanted to leave Ukraine, and it took time for them to be able to. Since they have two children, one of whom is only two years old, the move was not at all easy, especially since it would be all the way in Italy.
"How could we discuss anything with doctors, with anyone, without knowing Italian? How were we supposed to understand the entire procedure? Honestly, it was very difficult as we had to do most things on our own. We faced crazy bureaucracy, much worse than in Ukraine, and there were certain protocols we didn't know about."
The family was given a number of a volunteer organization, but as it was the beginning of the war, many such groups were dealing with these sorts of challenges for the first time. So Alyona remembers their help as chaotic.
However, the volunteers helped the family translate all necessary documents into Italian and connected them with an oncological clinic in Bologna.
"Despite everything, we decided that since we are here now, we should remain here and get through the hardships. Italy had many governmental programs for Ukrainians at that time, and we began looking through them."
In time, the family found a place to live near a Catholic church, where the priest took them under his wing.
Although the family has figured out how to live in Italy and Serhii is successfully continuing his treatment for free, dreams of Ukraine don't leave them.
"We will continue the treatment until they tell us that Serhii is healthy and in remission. But still our most important plan is to come back home," Alyona opens up.
Like many Ukrainians nowadays, Alyona will face a new reality at home, as a Russian missile destroyed the beauty salon where she had been working for years in Odesa Oblast.
But still their lives in Italy go on. Fortunately, learning Italian is their only mundane struggle now that they have settled down. Both Alyona and Serhii, despite his health issues, visit language courses to pay respect for the country that has welcomed their family. Their elder daughter, however, already speaks Italian like a native.
