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Campaign Launched for Accessible Home for Policewoman Critically Injured in September Terror Attack
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Married Mother of Two Tsippi Yacovian Suffered a Traumatic Spinal Injury and is Fully Confined to a Wheelchair
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(JERUSALEM- July 4, 2017) In September of 2016, 38 year-old Tsippi Yacovian, a long-time veteran of the Israeli Police was critically injured in a terror attack while patrolling in Jerusalem’s Old City. Evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, doctors fought to save her life with her fate unsure for several weeks. Once stabilized, it became clear that Tsippi’s recovery would always be defined by a devastating spinal column injury.
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The terrorist’s knife had severed the column, rendering Tsippi largely immobile, confined to a wheelchair and dependent on support for even the most basic of tasks. A mother of two children, Tsippi’s overall cognitive function was largely unimpaired. But the frustrations of her handicap and overall condition have left the once highly active policewoman in desperate need of support.
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For the past two months, she has been undergoing rehabilitation at Hadassah Mount Scopus hospital focused on returning home to live alongside her husband and children. While medically she has been cleared for release to continue outpatient rehabilitation, the family’s current home is not suited for a wheelchair and the many other accommodations needed to respond to the daily challenges in Tsippi’s life.
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While Israel’s Ministry of Defense and other agencies have put forth support, the family still faces a one million shekel (US$285,000) shortfall to be able to purchase and adapt an appropriate home. In order to help raise the funds, an online crowdfunding campaign was launched at https://www.giveback.co.il/project.aspx?id=826&lan=en-US with the goal of reaching the 1,000,000 shekel target and have Tsippi move into her new home before the Jewish new year.Â
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The campaign was launched by Uri Schachter, a social entrepreneur and veteran officer of the IDF who got to know Tsippi during her extensive rehabilitation. “In her current condition Tsippi is alive but not really living. After witnessing so much hard work and many months of stubbornly fighting to overcome her injuries, we all have a moral responsibility to assist her,” Schachter says. “Anyone who salutes the sacrifice of our soldiers and police officers in this ongoing fight against terror is asked to help. We need to get her a house so she can begin to rebuild her life and return home to her family.”                      Â