ROSEVILLE, Minnesota — Before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Olya Benda was serving as a cook in the military in 2017 when she lost her left leg in an explosion.
Five years later, her husband went to serve in the military after Russia escalated its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"In January 2023, my husband disappeared in action," said Benda in Ukrainian through a translator.
Since then, Benda said it's been hard for her to get out of her shell.
But then she found Camp Possible — which aims to encourage and inspire Ukrainian women (both civilian and military) who have undergone limb amputations through adaptive soccer.
"It is much easier for me now to tell this story about my husband," Benda said.
"When I was in Ukraine in November of 2022, there were only about 8,000 amputees... 5,000 military, 3,000 civilian. Now, it's way over 100,000," said Dr. Marshall Wade, chairman of the board for Shepherd's Foundation.
The Minnesota-based nonprofit and nondenominational organization has been working in Ukraine for more than 30 years.
"Initially, we took medical teams and dental teams and educational teams. But then, of course, during the war, we did a lot of evacuations and we distributed food," Wade said.
Shepherd's Foundation runs Camp Maximum — located about two hours south of Kyiv — which offers camping and retreats for kids, with a focus on kids with special needs.
Through Camp Maximum, they have created the program Camp Possible where athletes play amputee soccer (played without prosthetics and on crutches).
Now Camp Possible's Ukraine Women's Amputee Football Team is preparing for the World Amputee Football Federation's inaugural Women's Amputee Football World Cup in Colombia in November. The tournament will feature teams from Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, England, Ghana, Haiti, Liberia, Nigeria, Poland, Ukraine and USA.
"It's not just playing sport for me. It is the opportunity to introduce my country to the world," said Tanya Matyshena, who is also on the team.
Benda and Matyshena traveled to Minnesota as Shepherd's Foundation hosted events in support of the team.
On Monday at Midland Hills Country Club in Roseville, 107 golfers took part in a charity golf tournament to help send the team to the World Cup. The team currently has 11 players on its roster.
"It is very important to feel supported during such a critical time for our country," said Matyshena in Ukrainian through a translator. "It is an unbelievable feeling to know that you are not alone."
Shepherd's Foundation also held a soccer clinic for people with amputations last Saturday.
Those who would like to support Camp Maximum and Camp Possible can visit the Shepherd's Foundation website.