'Ten days in a basement in Ukraine aged me many years - dermal fillers have helped me start again'

Hiding out in a basement for 10 days before fleeing a war-torn country sounds nothing short of a nightmare.

But that’s exactly what happened to Svetlana Ishchenko, who was forced to leave her hometown of Bucha in Ukraine when Russians invaded the country in February 2022.

The 41-year-old spent 10 days hiding in a basement with her teenage daughter Anastasiia before eventually escaping to the UK. She later returned to the country to rescue her dog.

Now safe in England, the teacher says she is trying to move on from the ordeal – but says the trauma “aged her many years”.

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Svetlana’s friend Olha, who works as an aesthetic physician, offered her free lip and cheek fillers to help restore her confidence.

“The fillers have actually really benefited my mental health because I’ve found harmony within myself again,” Svetlana said.

“When Olha gave me a mirror to look at myself for the first time after the procedure, I was shocked that I could recognise myself again and that gave me a push to move forward in life.

“I feel so much better and more positive about myself, I can’t stop looking in the mirror. I’m also happier to meet new people, to communicate and socialise with them. It’s made such a massive difference to me.

“Now I have kind of reconnected with myself. The treatment benefited my mental health so much, that I have found harmony within myself. I feel confident again.”

Ukrainian forces liberated Russian-occupied Bucha in March 2022 and the mother and daughter then fled to western Ukraine – staying there for a month before travelling to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

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