I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
My focus is on creating interesting and exclusive content. Journalism, to me, is primarily about human stories, to which I always find the key, empathize with the people I write about, and love all my heroes. Journalism, to me, means telling people about what truly matters to them, informing and inspiring them. It is not just a job, but a way of life, just like for all those who dream, create, and are inspired by it.
So, if you are looking for stories that inspire and motivate, that instill faith and help find meaning while believing in goodness, read my stories on the Goodacity website.
I am a manager of cultural affairs and a project manager with over 14 years of experience at United Thinkers. I have participated in the organization of numerous successful social and charitable projects and have implemented informational campaigns and communication cases.
As a marketing manager, I have been involved in organizing marketing and sociological research, working with media and partners, developing advertising and marketing strategies, as well as planning and implementing advertising campaigns.
I believe in the power of goodness and I am happy that as part of the Goodacity project, I can contribute to its expansion. I believe in the power of words and in the fact that communication can help make the world a better place. I know how, where and when to speak in order to be heard. And when you are heard, you can change the world!
500 Kilometers of Aid!
The story of Maksym is a testament to resilience and the human spirit’s ability to aid others even when faced with life’s harshest blows.
“Why do I run? So that people can see—if I, despite everything, can find the strength to run, then it’s a sign that nobody should ever give up.
The enemy took a piece of my heart. But despite the pain and fatigue, I run every day… To support the military who save and protect us, so that adults and children can live, so that everything we cherish doesn’t disappear…”
Maksym Us, an ultramarathon runner from Chernihiv, Ukraine, is known by many as a man of extraordinary spirit and a Ukrainian record holder. Despite being diagnosed with cerebral palsy and having a disability, he completed a 100-kilometer ultramarathon!
Life has tested him repeatedly for durability, and the most severe, most painful blow came in the spring of 2022: during an artillery shelling in his hometown of Chernihiv (at the onset of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces heavily bombarded the city of Chernihiv, causing significant civilian casualties) his 10-year-old son Dmytro was killed, and his wife Yevheniia was severely injured. The family is still recovering from the tragedy but finds the strength to support Ukrainian defenders—Maksym raises funds for drones for the Ukrainian military through his running. Recently, he ran an ultramarathon from Slavutych to Chernihiv, covering 50 kilometers, and in total, he has run more than five hundred kilometers — 500 kilometers of hope and assistance!
Racing Against the Enemy!
“I’m Maksym Us, a short-distance runner and a champion of the Ukrainian championship among people with musculoskeletal disabilities. I’ve claimed first place in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m races. Competing for the Chernihiv region, I’ve come out on top…”
“An amateur long-distance runner in half-marathons, marathons, and ultramarathons. I hold a Ukrainian record for ‘A person with cerebral palsy ran 100 km’. I’m organizing a fundraiser for FPV drones for the reconnaissance platoon of the 167th Battalion, 119th Brigade of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense, where our running mate from the Chernihiv region is serving.
My goal is to raise 50,000 hryvnias.
This is my first fundraiser, and I’m highly motivated to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces! Please support me.
During the fundraiser, I will continue my training. Running every day until I collect the funds, until I reach my goal.
I thank everyone in advance who cares”…
This is the message Maksym posted on his Facebook page, and he set out to turn his plan into reality.
He runs, raises funds to help the Ukrainian military, so that we have the means to defend ourselves. So that the enemy doesn’t encroach upon us. So that no more children have to die…
“People tell me – keep running, don’t give up, and that’s exactly what I do… Running saves me. So I decided – let’s combine good deeds – I’ll run and help our military. There’s hardly enough time – despite work and chores at home, as I help my wife who is recovering from a long and complicated treatment – a shrapnel shattered 12 centimeters of bone in her leg, a huge thank you to all the doctors who helped save her leg..
I work as a handyman – an assistant sales consultant, displaying goods in the store. Some runners wonder – you’re on your feet all day, how do you still have the strength to run? I won’t say it’s easy – but I don’t give up!”
Never Lose Heart – Instead, Help!
How did this project start? A fellow runner friend of Maksym organized a fundraiser for 12 FPV drones – a significant one, amounting to 300,000 hryvnias, and mentioned that anyone wanting to join in and help could become an ambassador. Maksym decided to help and try to cover at least a part of the collection.
“So far, we’ve managed to raise over 46,000 hryvnias – thanks to everyone who cares! When people join in, donate, write messages, and offer encouragement – it’s incredibly inspiring! I’ve dreamed of doing this and now I’m making it happen – as long as the fundraiser is ongoing, I’ll keep running and helping!
There was a time when I felt disheartened – when the fundraiser’s activity dipped… But it’s not just the military who need this; we do too – because if they don’t hold the front there, the enemy will come back here. I tried spreading the word about the fundraiser on TikTok, but promoting myself isn’t something I’m good at… It’s just not my thing. I just want to help the military and do what I can and know how to do.
Since I can’t fight myself, I help the guys in this way; my running is my weapon… It helped me through a long and difficult path of rehabilitation”.
“From childhood, I knew I was different from other kids, and I worked hard to be able to do things that came easily to others – like speaking, walking… At 18, I joined a mini-football section in “Invasport”. I started running actively in 2018. And, when I took up running, I knew it was for me! Running was my medicine… Since 2018, I’ve run a total of 17,431 kilometers. I’ve never quit a race in my life – no matter how hard it was, ‘never lose heart’ is my motto!”
100 Kilometers in 11 Hours and 39 Minutes!
In 2020, Maksym ran an ultramarathon of a staggering one hundred (!) kilometers. This feat made him a record holder, earning him a spot in both the Ukrainian Record Book and the Chernihiv Record Book.
“I was the only runner with cerebral palsy in that race,” recalls Maksym. “I ran alongside everyone else, through the rain, and it was incredibly challenging. More than half of the participants couldn’t endure and dropped out. But I completed the hundred kilometers in 11 hours and 39 minutes, finishing 66th out of 150.”
His secret to success is simple. He says he’s always been one to fight to the very end.
“Preparing for a hundred-kilometer marathon required not just physical but also mental readiness – to not give up, not break, to keep spirits high because even perfectly healthy people can’t always handle such strain,” Maksym shares. “I remember coming home, sitting on the couch, unable to close my eyes because I feared I wouldn’t wake up if I fell asleep after such exertion… It was an incredible stress for the entire body! The next day, I had to relearn how to walk,” he laughs. “But after resting and recovering, I was back to running again.”
Maksym’s wife has always been his support and inspiration – they even used to run together. For the past year and a half, Maksym has been her “legs.” She was at risk of amputation, but fortunately, her leg was saved. The treatment was long, painful, and arduous, but things are better now. Yevheniia is slowly getting back on her feet, trying to move without crutches. For about six months during her treatment, the couple lived in Kyiv, but they returned home to Chernihiv – because there’s no place like home, no matter how difficult it may sometimes be, no matter how painful the memories.
“December 11th was when I finally got my cast removed, and now I’m starting to rehabilitate my leg,” shares Ms. Yevheniia. “Maksym is now running for both of us… We thank everyone who helps! I was deeply moved when Maksym’s fundraiser was supported by a mother whose elder son is currently at war, and her younger son, like Maksym, has cerebral palsy. Such support is especially precious; it inspires and uplifts! My student is now on the frontline, as is a friend with whom I used to run, who volunteered… Maksym’s running mates, despite lacking military experience, were among the first to go defend Ukraine. And our task is to support and help our Defenders! Because the war isn’t ‘somewhere far away’; it’s here – in our country. And our duty is to assist those standing between us and the war! So, we hold on with all our might and help our military in any way we can! Because that’s how we can bring our victory closer!”
You can contribute to the fundraiser here:
https://send.monobank.ua/jar/8K4uBHeKzr
5375 4112 1479 7917
PayPal 88makcim@gmail.com
