Jakob Kepka: Pedaling for Ukrainian Amputees

Kepka is a man of purpose, which speaks to those endless hours on his bike… all of them in preparation for his Hoperaising Expedition in Ukraine. His 900-kilometre cross-border ride from Krakow to Kyiv serves his mission to raise awareness for war amputees in Ukraine. As he pedals through the war-torn terrain, Kepka aspires to be a beacon of hope for those with similar injuries to his own, showcasing the resilience and determination of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

While there, he saw new amputees gazing at his “bionic” leg with wonder. He became determined to help give these Ukrainians every opportunity they deserve to receive the prosthetic devices they need. Upon his return to Canada, he sourced and donated over $100,000 of used prosthetic componentry, including some of his own. He shipped sixteen boxes of hardware to Ukrainian prosthetists to be repurposed through the U.S. prosthetic humanitarian aid organization Penta Prosthetics.

And now his ride, which also serves as a fundraising effort, with the goal of generating support for the rehabilitation of Ukrainian amputees, to ensure that they receive the necessary care and resources for their recovery.