CHERNOBYL CHILDREN’S LIFELINE Providing life-saving respite for young people Who are we and why we do what we do? Thirty five years ago, on April 26th, 1986 at 1.23am, Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station exploded. As a consequence of the explosion, radioactive elements fell across Belarus and the Ukraine and the fallout will continue to affect the people of these countries for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Our charity, the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, was established and registered in 1992 by the late Victor Mizzi OBE to support children and their families from Belarus and Ukraine, forever affected by the world’s worst nuclear disaster. The radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear explosion has caused numerous and varying health issues for the population which will last through generations to come. As well as thyroid cancer, bone cancer, leukaemia, and other non-oncological conditions, many people continue to experience severe psychological distress directly linked to the effects of Chernobyl. This in turn often causes medical conditions which can then develop to become serious and even life threatening. The main aims of our charity are: • To bring child victims of the Chernobyl disaster to the UK for recuperative breaks of up to four weeks - close to 50,000 children and young adults have benefitted from staying with host families since our inception in 1992. • To provide on-going supplies of multi-vitamins and basic healthcare products, school uniforms, stationary, learning aids, special needs items, clothing, shoes and toiletries to the children on their return. • To work with our Belarusian and Ukrainian partners to locate children who will benefit from a recuperative care break. 26
• To help children too sick to travel by providing chemotherapy medicines to Children’s Cancer Hospitals in Minsk, Gomel, Mogilov and Brest regions. Support with medicines and equipment for Baby Home No.1 in Minsk, the assisting of numerous Social Centres (temporary foster care facilities), individual foster families, and centres for children with special needs as well as several orphanages. The Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline’s reason for being is not for the relief of poverty or to provide holidays for poor children. It exists because of the difference we can make to the lives of children growing up with the long term health effects of the Chernobyl Disaster, which no amount of money can correct. Only time will see the end of the contamination and for many hundreds of years to come, this is time these children do not have. All these children are affected regardless of whether they have satellite TV and a flushing toilet or a cow in the back garden and an earth closet. During a recent visit to the cancer hospital for children in Minsk, one psychologist told us: “ALL children, regardless of race, social background or education, that live in contaminated areas, deserve the opportunity for a respite break. You would not believe the difference when they return home. Their health is so much improved; it is wonderful to see.’ Just remember that while they live at home, they are constantly eating contaminated food - and Caesium or other radioactive elements may be building up in their bodies. They are all at high risk of developing cancer, heart disease or serious respiratory or digestive problems. The time they spend with a host family in the UK may help to prevent this by boosting their immune system and reducing the levels of
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