The Kondratska family fled Ukraine in 2022. “We left Ukraine on very first day of the war, with our suitcase, our hope, and our credit card.” Yuliia Kondratska lost her home and her business - a rehabilitation center for kids with disabilities. Now, her daughter Liliana, who has cerebral palsy, is a dedicated athlete with Special Olympics and is winning awards at her school.
Countless Journeys, Season 7
Episode #4
SFX fireworks
Tina Pittaway: Those are the sounds of Canada Day fireworks being enjoyed by the Kondratska family in Miramichi New Brunswick.
The family of three came to Canada in 2022 from Irpin, Ukraine.
Yuliia Kondratska: We left Ukraine on very first day of the war, with our suitcase, our hope, and our credit card.
TP: Yuliia ran her own business, a rehabilitation center for kids with special needs.
Her daughter Liliana has cerebral palsy, which she doesn’t let slow her down.
Darlene Barry: Liliana is quite a little celebrity in her community, and it's amazing what she's been able to do in the short time that she's been here.
TP: Darlene Barry is with Special Olympics.
DB: She's not scared to try anything. You know, even if she takes a tumble sometimes, she gets right back up and she's right back at it. She is one of our most motivated athletes.
TP: Finding community through sports in the aftermath of a major life upheaval.
The Kondratskas share more of their story next, on Countless Journeys.
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TP: Welcome to Countless Journeys from the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. I’m Tina Pittaway.
Yuliia Kondratska and her family – husband Maksym and ten-year-old daughter Liliana –loved their life in Irpin, Ukraine.
YK: Working on my PhD, building career in government, running my own business. I owned a special rehabilitation center for kids with special needs called I Can but it was destroyed on the first day of that invasion of my city.
TP: The family made it to Canada in October of 2022.
They chose to settle in Miramichi, New Brunswick, in part because of a promotional video highlighting the area, which was made by fellow Ukrainian immigrant.
YK: It was video about a group of people that invited Ukrainians to settle in Miramichi.
And I feel like it might be a great chance for me. So many people afraid small towns, but I'm not scared.
So we decided to give a chance for this city and find that city in Google.
And my husband say it looks great and really peaceful, Miramichi has a big river, and exactly what we are looking for.
TP: Yuliia found work as the Ukrainian Liaison Officer for an employment company.
Maksym found work in his trade as a carpenter.
But they worried about Liliana, who loves sports but requires accommodations due to having cerebral palsy.
Being active was a big part of Liliana’a life in Ukraine, posting regularly to the family’s Instagram account with motivational videos.
YK: My Liliana, she's so talented. A great example for all kids with special needs.
In Ukraine we made videos, about her rehabilitation history, about her motivation stories, you know, to show other kids with special needs, cerebral palsy, to not give up and do like exactly the same as Liliana, like all exercises. Kind of like that.
When we came in Canada in Miramichi, I tried to find something similar to have a sport in her life.
TP: Yuliia knew how important it was to keep Liliana involved in physical movement. It’s what motivated her to start her business in Ukraine, and she knew how crucial it was to Liliana’s well-being.
JK: Because we haven't here something like rehabilitation center like I have in Ukraine with a lot of equipment and different, therapy, like water therapy, like massage, kinesiotherapy, you know, all kind.
TP: Those routines and therapies were part of their daily routine…
JK: The daily routine, I can tell you it's a daily routine.
So, we decided to find something here, and it was a small post from Darlene in Facebook.
She invited kids to a group I have never heard about: Special Olympic.
And Liliana said, mom, it'll be so much fun. Let's give a chance.
TP: Through Special Olympics, she was able to enroll Liliana in several gym programs, and they connected her to other community programs, including swimming and bowling.
JK: And then we came to the gym and Liliana meet with a great people, find a new friends there, making new friends there.
And she found that vibe of having fun during her exercise activity. It's exactly what she's looking for, and we decided to stay with them.
And, you know, it's the best decision ever.
To have fun every Wednesday evening.
SFX kids playing
TP: Today, about 12 youth involved with Special Olympics are gathered with their parents for a Christmas party at a local play centre for kids.
And that’s where I was able to speak briefly with Liliana – I didn’t want to monopolize too much of her party time.
TP: Lilianna, talk to me a little bit about what being involved with sports means to you.
Lilianna: It means to be in a group to do exercise and to be happy and more independent.
Yuliia: She's running by the way, every single day. 20 minutes on treadmill.
Lilianna: And doing stretching. Yeah.
YK: And stretch, yeah.
SFX CANADA DAY PARADE
TP: This past Canada Day, Lilianna led the Ukrainian contingent in the local parade.
She was on what she calls her Pink Mercedes – a specially fitted tricycle provided to her by a group called Para NB.
The tricycle gives her the freedom to join in with others for bike rides.
Liliana: With friends or my mom or grandma and grandpa or my dad.
Yuliia: Liliana have a chance, you know, to practice, riding bike outdoors and spending time with grandparents, and with her peers.
And because that equipment costs a lot of money, they was really kind to us and provided that equipment for Liliana, for no cost, for free.
TP: Having access to her Pink Mercedes doesn’t just provide her with mobility and inclusion, it’s key in her physical development.
YK: Yeah. Because she is growing so fast. We need to keep her muscles all straight and, you know, stay..
Liliana: and stretch
YK: stay strong. And it give her more like more freedom and give my daughter a chance to be more successful and independent during any kind of activities.
Any kind of sport, you know, very important for her because she would like to be everywhere.
TP: Weather allowing, she rides it every day. Its stability gives her the chance to safely build up strength in her legs.
The swimming lessons also help provide Liliana with confidence around water. That comes in handy when she’s doing one of the things she loves - something Miramichi, with its big, beautiful river, is famous for.
TP: I understand you also like to go fishing, is that right?
Liliana: Yes, I do. It's my hobby.
TP: And, and can you tell me a little bit about what you like about fishing?
Liliana: Catching a fish. (laughter)
Yuliia: You know, my husband, he is really, a crazy fisherman. So, we spend time together, outdoors.
And we love ice fishing, trout fishing, fly fishing. Any kind of fishing.
Liliana: Winter fishing.
Yuliia: Winter fishing, of course. Yeah. But Liliana is the best fisherman, in my family.
But keep it in secret. (Laughter)
TP: That's great. And it's so nice to be outdoors. And have you caught many fish?
Liliana: Yes.
TP: What kind of fish?
Liliana & Yuliia: Bass. Hake. Pike. Sunfish? Catfish. Catfish. Even uh, trout.
TP: Oh wow. That's incredible.
Liliana: Thank you.
TP: And do you eat them or do you put them back or a bit of both?
Liliana: Uh, eat them or freeze them.
TP: That's wonderful. There's certainly some good fishing in New Brunswick.
YK: Since why we choose Miramichi in Miramichi River.
It's a world-famous spot for bass fishing and you can find Liliana after school spending time on the wharf or in the boat with my husband fishing bass.
And hot tub. She say, I am almost Canadian.
TP: And Yuliia, do you like fishing as well or is it more something that, that they can enjoy?
YK: I need to spend time with Liliana and my husband. So, I'm the short fisherman in my family.
Lilianna: But I catch more fish.
YK: Of course. (laughter) Sport is very important to keep your muscles strong, you know? Any kind of sport is really helpful.
TP: Finding supports for Lilianna through Special Olympics has also helped Yuliia adjust to life in Canada.
Yuliia: First of all, it's a great community of great people.
It's a great chance to meet, and making a new friend. Sharing and having information and some discussion with other parents, who's having kids with special needs.
In Ukraine, we haven't that kind of sociable, understandable kind of tolerance of kids with special needs.
We haven't many chances to participate on activities like Special Olympic or even to have assistance in the school, you know, but here she can find whatever she need for her disability.
To give my daughter a chance to be more successful and independent during any kind of activities.
SFX from school awards
TP: In 2025, Lilianna received two awards at Nelson Rural School. The Medal of Citizenship is given to students who contribute positively to the classroom and school environment — those who are kind, respectful, empathetic, and a friend to all.
And the Joy Sullivan Award, which recognizes students who demonstrate remarkable perseverance in life and a deep concern for the well-being of others.
Darlene Barry is a coach and board member with Special Olympics in Miramichi.
DARLENE BARRY
Special Olympics has been present in Miramichi for many years. We have athletes that are 60 years old who are still participating in bowling and we have a lot of older adults who are still playing floor hockey, so it's really offered them the opportunity to maintain physical activity even into older adulthood.
Liliana is quite a little celebrity in her community, and it's amazing what she's been able to do in the short time that she's been here.
She's not scared to try anything, and you know, even if she takes a tumble sometimes, she gets right back up and she's right back at it.
She is one of our most motivated athletes.
Everybody knows Liliana, and I think it's, it's quite an amazing story. Sport has really kind of shown her peers that she can be just like them. And she can show them her medals and those types of things. And I think they, they ended up moving to the right spot.
TP: Hannah Gillis is one of Liliana’s coaches.
HG: I think a lot of families may not necessarily know too many new Canadians. So having someone like Liliana in our group is great to have.
The other kids, they can talk to her and her family and learn more about them and what their experiences were like, gives them a better idea of what other people may be going through.
DARLENE BARRY:
We're really hoping to attract more families, newcomers to our community, to the group. Liliana's definitely unique in our group and we're so, so happy to have her.
And they've introduced us as a group, you know, to, to just a different cultural experience also. So it's been really nice.
YK:
I believe that Special Olympics is the right sport for her. Maybe she not will be the best sportsman ever, you know, not will be on the special Olympic team, but she is definitely, uh, take from Special Olympic that independent and the power of being visible, being absolutely inclusion, and can give her great connections to build her successful future.
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TP:
Our website is home to a digital timeline covering thousands of years of settler, immigrant and Indigenous history in the territory now known as Canada.
One timeline entry for the year 1981 focuses on multi-medallist paralympian Martha Sandoval Gustaffson.
Martha was born in Mexico in 1950, and contracted polio when she was seven months old. She competed for Mexico in the 1976 and 1980 Summer Paralympics. Martha immigrated to Canada in 1981 and then competed for Canada at the Summer Olympics in 1984, amassing twelve gold and seven silver medals in total. Martha competed in swimming, table tennis, and field athletics.
To explore the timeline see the link in our show notes, or visit pier21.ca and find the link on the home page.
And if you aren’t already following us on your favourite podcast app, be sure to hit follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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Thanks for listening to Countless Journeys, brought to you by the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 at the Halifax Seaport. This season of Countless Journeys is presented by Air Canada, Canada's airline for welcoming newcomers home.
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