- Scenes from Belarus
“Children of Chernobyl” Summer Program
Purpose
Compassionate
people from around the world have reached out to help children living in the
countries affected by the disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear
Plant. Organizations and individuals in countries such as
England, Ireland, Germany, Japan, the United States and others invite children
from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus to their countries for a “radiation respite.”
Many organizations provide medical and dental care and other specialized medical treatment for the children. The stays are usually from 4 – 8 weeks in length.
While abroad they are provided with a healthy dose of fresh
vegetables and fruits, can breathe clean air and have non-contaminated water to
drink. Many have lived in long term, low-level radiation their entire
lives. They eat contaminated food and drink contaminated milk on a daily
basis.
Most of the children who participate in the “Children of Chernobyl” program are considered to be “at risk” meaning that they have no diagnosed disease now but possibly can be affected at some time in the future.
For instance, pediatric thyroid cancer was one of the primary medical problems shortly after the disaster. The rate per thousand increased and then peaked in the mid 1990’s. Today thyroid cancer has decreased in younger children. However, it is now being diagnosed in young people who are between 25 and 25. They would have been between 8 and 18 years old at the time of the Chernobyl explosion.
In addition to improving their health conditions, leaving their
environment allows the children to have a cross-cultural experience.
Families who host the children initially think of this as an 
opportunity
to help others, and instead find that they are the ones who have been blessed!
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the SCCF for the grant given for the development of this site.
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