How Ukrainian schoolchildren save lives during a stroke – real stories of little superheroes

Every year, Ukraine sees over 130,000 strokes, and a third of them occur among people of working age. The war is causing the disease to "younger" by 10-15 years, and every minute of delay can cost a life. But there are those who know what to do – even at 7 or 8 years old.

LIGA.net collected stories of young schoolchildren and their teachers who learned to recognize the symptoms of stroke and save their loved ones thanks to an educational initiative. "FAST Superheroes".

The loss of a mother became a lesson for the whole class: how schoolchildren in Kharkiv act when they suspect someone is having a stroke.

Teacher Olena Roskoshenko with her 1-B class (now 4-B class) "Kharkiv Primary School No. 33 of the Kharkiv City Council" She taught the children not only to read and write. She involved them in the "Superheroes FAST" program so that children would know from an early age how to recognize the symptoms of a stroke and help their loved ones.

This is especially important for Olena: a few years ago, she experienced her own tragedy – she lost her 78-year-old mother, who died of a stroke. It was this experience that prompted her to join the initiative and pass on to children the knowledge that one day could save lives.

"During that terrible period for me, I realized that knowing the rules of first aid is not just useful, it is vital."

I was afraid that the children wouldn't understand. But they listened to me. And it was incredibly nice, – recalls Olena Leonidivna.

Her students actively participated in the project and became world champions in the international program, winning the most awards. They made masks, participated in festive events, and learned to recognize situations when it is necessary to call an ambulance.

"One day, a boy from the class was walking in the park with his mother when he noticed an elderly man sitting on a bench, looking a little lost and unwell. The schoolboy approached him and politely asked:

– Are you feeling okay?

The man just shook his head, saying everything was fine, and tried to walk away. Later, the boy explained to his mother, and then to me, that you shouldn't be afraid to offer help and ask if everything is okay, because it can save a life.

"I was simply amazed. The children not only absorbed the knowledge, but also learned to apply it in real life," recalls Olena Roskoshenko.

The teacher remembers particularly vividly the story of a schoolgirl who was going to a club activity.

"On the way, she noticed an old woman sitting on a bench who seemed to be losing strength. The elderly woman quietly complained that she felt unwell, but the girl didn't panic, even though her heart was pounding with excitement.

She returned home and immediately told her mother about the unfortunate incident. Her mother didn't waste any time: they went back and called an ambulance. The paramedics provided the necessary assistance to the grandmother, and her condition improved. Then the little student realized that her quick reaction and attention helped save a life," recalls Olena Roskoshenko.

A role-playing exercise that turned fear into action: how Chernivtsi schoolchildren didn't panic in a critical situation.

The students of the 4-B class of Chernivtsi school No. 17 were sitting during a break when they suddenly noticed that a person nearby had become ill. The children were only bewildered for a moment – and in a few seconds they started to act.

"At first, they looked scared, their big eyes staring at me," recalls class teacher Kristina Verenka. "But within a minute, they remembered everything we had learned. Someone said we needed to call an ambulance, someone else noticed the symptoms. It was impressive that even those who are usually very calm came to help."

It was a staged event that the teacher specifically organized as part of the "FAST Superheroes" program.

"I invited a person who pretended to be feeling unwell. After the lesson, the children shared their emotions for two more days and repeated that they were no longer afraid. They even asked us to do these trainings again," Verenka smiles.

In her opinion, it is in primary school that the habit of acting in a critical situation should be formed.

"Children of this age are like sponges – they instantly absorb information. And, importantly, they don't yet have a great deal of fear; they are more decisive than older students," the teacher concludes.

I remembered the cartoon about superheroes: how 7-year-old Olya from Lviv saved her grandmother.

In 2021, 7-year-old Olya from Lviv was at home with her grandmother when she noticed something alarming: the woman had difficulty speaking. The girl immediately remembered everything she had learned in the "Superheroes FAST" program – cartoons with superheroes, vivid examples of stroke symptoms, and what to do in those situations.

Without panicking, Olya called her parents, and they immediately called an ambulance. Thanks to this, the grandmother received timely help, and their family was able to spend almost four more years together – invaluable time that they saved thanks to the knowledge gained from the program.

Oli's story was even featured by BBC International, who made a documentary about how a small child can save a life. Sadly, Oli's grandmother passed away in 2025, but this incident left an unforgettable lesson: knowledge and a quick response can truly save lives.

From test to Charlie the hero: how schoolchildren learn first aid rules

Nadia Gontar, Deputy Head of the Municipal Institution "Kharkiv Primary School No. 33 of the Kharkiv City Council," remembers well how it all began: how they managed to interest the children, involve parents and teachers in this initiative, and how small steps turned into a large-scale educational project.

"We have a very close community of educators. Many people learned about the program through my Facebook posts or thanks to colleagues who had already tried working with children using these materials," says the ambassador.

But the main thing, the teacher believes, is always the role of the teacher. They become a guide to knowledge, explaining to children why every minute is crucial when it comes to a stroke, and that a simple call to 103 can be decisive. Therefore, before working with the program, each teacher had to take a short test on the "Superheroes FAST" program website.

"That's right," she explains. "Because it's simply impossible to give children incorrect information, especially information that could cost them their lives. It's important that they understand it accurately and without mistakes."

And then the real magic begins. The classroom is filled with books featuring vibrant characters, interactive tasks, games, and even songs. The children laugh, compete, and memorize the symptoms of a stroke, without even realizing they are learning serious things.

Children loved Charlie the most – the main character of "FAST Superheroes". He is also a schoolboy, sits at a desk, has friends and small adventures.

The children say, "He's just like us," and that makes learning even more accessible. The schoolchildren are like on the same wavelength with him.

"After working on the book, children have the opportunity to complete additional tasks from the main characters. These can be online games or tasks like 'Cut out a mask', 'Take a selfie with grandpa/grandma', for which children receive points that raise their personal ranking, their class, and their educational institution in the international ranking," notes Nadiya Gontar.

The small eyes sparkle with the excitement of a real international competition. But behind the game lies a great understanding.

"Even the youngest children take the program very seriously," admits Nadiya Gontar. "They feel that their knowledge can help not only someone far away, but also their closest family. And this motivates better than any scores or competitions."

100,000 children, one goal: the secret of Ukraine's little superheroes.

To understand how, in five years, tens of thousands of children were engaged and why the "Superheroes FAST" program methodology is so effective,LIGA.net I asked the project coordinator, Anastasia Klysakova.

"How did you manage to involve almost 100,000 children in the 'FAST Superheroes' program in five years?"

– Since December 2020, more than 7,600 teachers and over 88,000 primary school students from all regions have participated in the program in Ukraine. Importantly, this isn't just statistics – they all learned to recognize the three key symptoms of a stroke and the emergency number 103.

This was made possible thanks to the incredible teachers who continued to teach during the pandemic and the war and readily joined in new topics. Also, in October 2024, we signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and have already held dozens of webinars for 500-1000 teachers with their support.

By the end of 2025, we have set ourselves the ambitious goal of engaging 100,000 children and their families.

– What principles and approaches make the method effective for children of different ages?

– The program offers six interactive lessons for parents and teachers: e-books, videos with superheroes, posters, masks, and practical scenarios on how a child should call 103. Children take the lessons at school, then share their knowledge with their families, creating a "snowball" effect.

Parents can create a family account so that their child can take additional lessons on the platform, including with the help of educational games. By the way, the results of this educational gamification are displayed on the platform, so you can see the "global ranking" of which country, school, class, and even child is the most active.

In 2023 and 2024, Kharkiv School No. 33 took first place in the world and received an award at the FAST Heroes Global Summit. By the end of 2025, our global campaign is expected to reach 1 million children and their families.

The program is effective for children aged 5–9, preschoolers, and even older students, and most importantly, it develops skills that really save lives."

– Why is this program important right now?

– In Ukraine, during the full-scale invasion, the age of stroke has significantly decreased, as doctors have told us, so this is very relevant for young parents, unfortunately.

According to the WHO, stroke is the second leading cause of death. Many stroke patients do not receive timely care because they arrive at hospitals too late.

People don't know how to recognize the symptoms of a stroke; a patient must receive medical attention within 4.5 hours of the onset of symptoms.

Therefore, this methodology was the basis for the decision to develop lessons specifically for children aged 5-9 years. This is the age when children spend the most time with their grandparents, and people aged 60 and over are most at risk of stroke.