A Belarusian woman and her son were evacuated to Poland, where she immediately started working. But everything she had gone through in Belarus, combined with the forced relocation, triggered a severe depression she now has to fight. Yuliya is undergoing therapy and needs support to make it through this period.
Yuliya Hanetskaya worked as a veterinary doctor in Minsk and was raising her son alone. In August 2020, she joined the protests “against the regime that stole our votes.” She took part in peaceful marches and was later identified by security forces through photos posted on Instagram. As a result, she was charged twice under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code of Belarus (participation in unauthorized gatherings).
“I was lucky,” Yuliya recalls, “that because of my status as a single mother and my good record at work, the court only imposed fines. But in 2021, my friend, who had also been identified from the same photos, was arrested.”
Around that time, Yuliya began noticing signs of depression and started seeing a psychologist. Her friends, her friend’s parents, and the psychologist all advised her to leave Belarus. She turned to BYSOL’s evacuation service and moved to Poland in the winter of 2022, where she was granted international protection.
Almost immediately, Yuliya returned to her profession as a vet and began volunteering. “I started working literally in the second week, without even knowing the language,” she says. “As it turned out later, that was a mistake that led to burnout.” The stress of relocation and the events in Belarus brought her depression back. At first, she tried to keep working, but eventually, on the advice of a psychotherapist, she agreed to undergo medical treatment.
Even in exile, the Belarusian authorities continued looking for her. “When I found out that eight armed men had come to my parents’ home asking for me, it didn’t exactly help my mental state,” Yuliya recalls.
Therapy helped, and she soon returned to her normal life and work – but at the beginning of 2025, she experienced another severe relapse that required treatment and rehabilitation.
“At the start of this year, I was hit by another major depressive episode,” she says. “It had to be treated with medication. Three drugs in a row didn’t work – for months I literally couldn’t get out of bed because of the side effects.”
Since February 2025, Yuliya has been officially on long-term sick leave. At the time of her appeal to BYSOL, she was undergoing rehabilitation that is expected to continue until January 2026. For the past two months, she has not received payments from ZUS. Describing her situation, she says: “My teenage son and I live on ten zlotys a day, along with our pets. For safety reasons, I barely communicate with relatives in Belarus – especially after the police came to my parents’ home.”
Now Yuliya continues to volunteer but cannot work. She is focusing on recovery and maintaining daily life. Because of her diagnosis and ongoing treatment, she cannot earn a living.
“I really need support now,” Yuliya emphasizes. “Without it, I won’t recover – and if I fall again, it will be even worse. I’ve never asked for help before, even though I’ve always tried to help others. I thought my situation wasn’t desperate enough. But now I need a few months to cover rent, basic food and daily expenses, and continue my therapy.”
Fundraising goal
€2000
€1150 – rent and utilities until the end of treatment
€850 – food, medication, transport, and communication until the end of treatment