Escaping Chernobyl for a Better Life

from Crusader Magazine - May 2020

Update from the Alumni Association

Escaping Chernobyl for a Better Life Alumni catch-up with wadim matochko '02

My first memories were of a happy and carefree life. Little did I know I was being poisoned, as were other children from the Chernobyl nuclear explosion on the border of Ukraine and Belarus. Through my mother’s courage and selflessness, she brought me to Canada to give me hope and a better future. For her to do this, she had to give up her medical profession, a support network of family and friends, and essentially raise me by herself. By the time it came to high school, I knew St. Paul’s had a good reputation, but it cost a lot to attend, and our financial situation would not allow me to go. If you can imagine our situation, it was just my mother and me, she was studying during the day, working during the night and weekends, and trying to raise me to be a good and successful person. Luckily, I was accepted into St. Paul’s and I would be able to go, all thanks to the bursary program. I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by, so I had to work hard to make the most of it. Looking back, first and foremost, St. Paul’s taught me what I can do, not what I cannot the teachers and peers at St. Paul’s encouraged and gave me confidence. I knew any subject that involved using and comprehending the English language was my weakness. With the support of talented teachers, St. Paul’s afforded me the chance to explore my strengths and focus on them. I excelled in science, even taking extra classes. My teachers inspired me, and I began to appreciate and enjoy mathematics, chemistry and physics. After leaving St. Paul’s, these subjects became my strengths and have led me on my career path – as a scientist who develops new medicine. Respect, reflection, acceptance of others, commitment to growth, these are all aspects of being a “Man for Others.” I take this message to every aspect of my life; as a student, mentor, scientist, a husband and now as a father. So, I can say, unequivocally, the bursary program reflects the values of this community. Your support changed my life. By donating to the bursary fund, you are making an investment in us, regardless of our background or circumstance. St. Paul’s provides us with an environment of caring, respect, tolerance, and faith in each other.