Burnaby firefighters charity helps bring Ukrainian boy's mobility equipment to Canada

Mark Motorenko grinned as he sat in the driver's seat of a big red firetruck in Burnaby, B.C.

The eight-year-old boy got a full tour when he and his family visited theBurnaby Fire Department's headquarters on Sperling Avenue Saturday.

Mark, who has cerebral palsy, reunited withhis specialized wheelchair which arrived in B.C. as part of ashipmentfrom Ukraine, thatwas paid for bythe Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.

Mark andhis parents Bogdan and Yelyzavetaleft everything behind when they fled the war in Ukraine last July, coming to livewith a family in New Westminster.

Unable to afford the thousands of dollars it would cost toshipMark's wheelchair and other medical equipment overseas, they reached out throughtheir sponsor family toPeter Julian, MP for New Westminster-Burnaby,to see if he could help.

Julian's office then reached out to the firefighters charity,who put together the money to cover the shipping costs and went out of their way to organize the delivery of Mark's belongings.

"Thanks to the Burnaby firefighters we're ableto welcome that equipment here today," said Julian on Saturday.

"Vital equipment that's so important for his mobilityand his quality of life."

Months of back-and-forth

It took months of back-and-forthbetween the family, the firefighters and the Ukraine post office to get Mark's things to Canada.

According to Bogdan Motorenko, replacing the equipment inCanada was not an option.

"Here it's very costly, all this stuff," he said. "We need only this because we know this stuff. We know how to use it."

Other items in the shipment included a walker and a verticalization machine, which Bogdansays Mark will be able to use to exerciseand stimulate his muscles crucial to keeping him healthy.

"Thank you so much," Mark said, seated on his wheelchair.

Bogdan and Yelyzaveta echoed Mark's sentiment moments later, speaking to media at the fire department's headquarters, thankingthe firefighters and everyone in the community who's given them a hand.

Doug Petti, captain of the Burnaby Fire Department and one of the firefighters involved in the charity, says when they heard Mark's story and his parents'spredicament, they didn't hesitate to chip in.

"We're just happy to get this equipment back in Mark's hands," Petti said.

"He's a great kid."