Dublin Chernobyl Children International

Cause Description

We are an outreach group affiliated with Adi Roche's Chernobyl Children International which was set up in 1991.

We fundraise on annual basis for numerous projects including bringing children to Ireland for much needed R&R, Hospice & Community Care, Cardiac surgeries and Vesnova orphanage.

All projects help to improve the health and living conditions of those still affected by the disaster which took place in 1986.

Overview

Adi Roche, Founder of Chernobyl Children International set up the organisation in 1991.�Her life�s work and the aims of the organisation have been to develop programmes that restore hope, alleviate suffering and protect current and future generations in the Chernobyl regions. CCI is founded on hope and courage: the hope that the children�one by one and heartbeat by heartbeat�will thrive; and the courage to envision and create a better world.

History

The Dublin Outreach group for Chernobyl Children International was set up at the end of 2009, into the start of 2010. It was brought together by Helen Faughnan, a veteran of CCI for over 20 years now.

We are now heading into our 5th year of Summer R & R. To date the success of the group is a testament to all the hard working committee members and host families but of course,none of this is possible, of course, without the help of fundraising. Thanks to a fantastic support network of family, friends, community, work colleagues and the general public, North Dublin has had a phenomenal few years of fundraising, with our total just falling short of �60,000. This has allowed us to provide much needed help not only to children who have travelled but also help back home for those who are not lucky enough to travel. Below is a list of our achievements to date--------

72 children provided with rest & recuperation in Dublin for a summer or christmas visit

10 children and 4 carers provided with rest & recuperation in Dublin for 12 days in conjunction with the Barretstown camp. These children had all been affected by cancer or leukaemia.

�A �15,000 medical vehicle sponsored for the Day care centre in Radiskovichy, to help supply medicines, food aid etc. to the surrounding villages and towns.

A �19,000 donation to our Community Care Programme which helps struggling families of terminally ill children take care of them and also incorporating a new baby hospice set up in Minsk for terminally ill babies under the age of 3.

�23,000 donated to the nursing programme in Vesnova orphanage to help train and improve skills of the staff taking care of children in the high dependency unit. This also helps to buy necessary medicines and basic needs for the children.

All of these causes go a long way to improving lives of families and children affected by the Chernobyl disaster. And although we are now head towards the 30th Anniversary, our help is needed even more as now, situations continue to deteriorate not only financially for the country, but also environmentally and socially. With cancers, birth defects, illnesses on the increase each year it is becoming more and more evident, that living with constant levels of radiation in the air, food, water is having long term effects on the population.�

Dublin CCI strive to give as much help as we can to those still suffering a quarter of a century later, but to do this we need your help.

Where Your Money Goes

Rest & Recuperation Programme for children from Vesnova Orphanage and from impoverished families and for children living in radiation zones.

Medical & �Nursing care for Vesnova Mental Asylum which homes 170 children with both mental and physical disabilities.�

Hospice and Community Care Programme which gives support in the form of nurses, therapists, medical equipment and medicines to terminally ill children being cared for by their families thus keeping them out of an institution.�

Cardiac Surgeries for children born with numerous holes in the heart. .This has become so common in Belarus & Ukraine it is now known as "Chernobyl Heart" The programme is designed to train surgeons and hospital staff aswell as performing life saving surgery. One heart operation costs �1000.�