Why is it so important?
01
36,761 babies
were born prematurely, sick, or fell ill in the first 28 days of life
02
63% of the most vulnerable infants
are delivered in specialized Level III centers
03
1/3 of them
receive the proper rehabilitation
Stories of Little Heroes
They were born before the world was ready to meet them. Yet each of them is an example of strength, hope, and faith. We tell the stories of those who have already gone through this battle — the stories of babies born too early.
Story of Yaroslav
Yaroslav was born prematurely, likely due to severe stress, hypothermia, and exhaustion his mother experienced while sheltering underground during a massive attack. His low birth weight led to retinopathy of prematurity – a serious eye condition that can require surgery. Babies like Yaroslav need special care, essential medications, and modern medical equipment.
Story of Artem
Artem’s parents, Alina and Mykola, lived through some of the most terrifying moments of their lives when they had to rush to the shelter during an air raid alert, while little Artem remained in the ICU under the care of doctors, connected to a ventilator, cardiac monitor, and other life support systems. Premature babies are extremely vulnerable during blackouts and power outages, as their lives depend entirely on specialised medical equipment (incubators, ventilators, monitors, infusion devices, and more).
Story of Viktoriia
After fleeing constant shelling in Kharkiv in July 2022, the family rebuilt their life in the capital, where little Viktoriia was born prematurely on 13 September. She now needs modern medical equipment and continuous neonatologist care. Because her digestive system and sucking reflex are still immature, premature babies like Viktoriia require specialized enteral feeding equipment that delivers nutrient-enriched milk or formula through a feeding tube.
Story of Veronika and Viktoriia
In their first days of life, the twins were in intensive care for premature infants. By the time of the photoshoot, Veronika had moved to a regular ward with her mother, while Viktoriia remained in neonatal intensive care due to complications and very low weight. Despite her brave fight, tiny Viktoriia passed away. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family. Premature babies remind us how fragile life is and how precious every moment can be.
Birth weight: Veronika — 1 kg 800 g, Viktoriia — 960 g
Born prematurely on 8 September 2025, at 32 weeks
Age at the time of shooting: 1 month and 6 days
Photos taken in October 2025
Story of Eva
Every day, Eva’s mother reads Ukrainian fairy tales to her in the neonatal intensive care unit, stimulating her brain development. Eva was born prematurely, likely due to stress and exhaustion during missile attacks in Kyiv. After nearly a month in the perinatal center, she is now home, feeding on her own, gaining weight, and delighting her family with her little expressions.
Story of Denys and Dmytro
The twins’ father is a former soldier who volunteered to defend Ukraine. He has since been discharged from service for health reasons and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. He eagerly awaits his two little Cossack boys at home. Although they are identical twins, the brothers are already showing completely different personalities. Their mother shares that even in the womb, Dmytro was always calm, while Denys moved enough for the both of them.
Story of Eva
This premature baby girl requires specialized care and modern medical equipment. Her family had to relocate due to constant shelling and rebuilt their life in a new city. She receives the necessary treatment and feeding through a tube, ensuring her development and health.
Birth weight: 2 kg 290 g
Born prematurely on 10 October 2025, at 33 weeks
Age at the time of shooting: 1 month and 1 day
Photos taken in October 2025
Story of Demyan
Demyan’s father is a soldier, so the family values every moment together. Thanks to this outlook, Demyan, born with an 18-year gap from his older brother, is a true miracle for his parents. His mother looks forward to the day he can feed and breathe independently, while he currently finds joy sleeping on her chest and sharing his smile.
Birth weight: 1 kg 600 g
Born prematurely on 10 October 2025, at 31 weeks
Age at the time of shooting: 1 month and 3 days
Photos taken in October 2025
Photographs by Agata Grzybowska,
a renowned photojournalist from Poland
I was profoundly honoured to spend time at the Prenatal Center in Kyiv, thanks to the humanitarian agency ZDOROVI. For eleven years, I have documented the war in Ukraine. Three years ago, I began a photography project about those who chose to stay — the people who refused to abandon their homes, their memories, their land. Here, in the Prenatal Center, I had the opportunity to meet mothers who sit for hours beside incubators, whispering fairy tales to babies who arrived too soon, holding their tiny feet between their fingers as if the warmth of their touch could protect them from everything happening outside. Their love fills the room like a shield. Around them, doctors and nurses move with a kind of sacred determination — a circle of guardians, fighting every single day to save lives measured in grams and breaths. Their strength is quiet but immense. I carry deep gratitude for their endurance and humanity. In their presence, I felt a rare kind of hope — the hope that one day, and may that day come soon, they will no longer have to stand against the darkness of war.
Help a tiny life take its First Breath
When a baby is born prematurely, its lungs are not yet ready to breathe independently. Curcursurf replaces the natural surfactant, helping the baby take its first real breath. It provides invisible support that gives a chance at life — a breath of air and hope.
We are raising funds to purchase 150 doses of Curosurf surfactant for 5 perinatal centers across Ukraine. This life-saving medication will help dozens of newborns who are currently fighting for their lives.
Our Global Mission
«First Breath» —
ZDOROVI Initiative
We are strengthening the capacity of perinatal centers to provide high-quality, consistent medical care, ensuring that every child — even those born prematurely — has a chance to survive and thrive.
We collaborate with medical institutions, leading industry experts, and international partners to establish new standards for safe childbirth in Ukraine.
About First Breath program
The program supports the development of the perinatal care system:
standards of care for premature babies
of equipment in hospitals
of educational programs for mid-level healthcare personnel specializing in neonatology
“Premature babies are the future of Ukraine, and we can’t leave them without support. In Ukraine, their survival often depends on the financial resources of hospitals and the availability of modern equipment. Even in large perinatal centers, sometimes there is a lack of essential medications.The First Breath program takes a comprehensive approach that addresses all levels of care. Our goal is not merely to provide one-time donations of medications or equipment, but to establish a systematic supply mechanism that operates independently of donor assistance. We aim to create conditions in which every premature baby has a real chance to survive and thrive”
Nataliia Tulinova, foundress and CEO of ZDOROVI
Together for the Smallest Fighters
Program Partners
TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD IN UKRAINE HAS THE CHANCE TO TAKE THEIR FIRST BREATH
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Contacts
Address: 01014, Kyiv, st. Zvirynetska, 63, office1