Fermoy family give Nikita a break from Chernobyl
LAST Friday, a group of 145 children from Belarus landed at Shannon Airport as part of Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International Rest and Recuperation Programme which takes children out of the Chernobyl affected regions for much needed respite care in Ireland.
Tears of joy flowed in the arrivals hall of a bustling Shannon Airport as Irish families from 13 counties were reunited with Belarussian children and young adults whom they have opened their hearts and homes to for the past three decades since the 1986 disaster.
Amongst this group is 14 year old Nikita Dudko, who is coming to Ireland for the first time. Nikita, like so many other children of Chernobyl, has had to live with the adverse health effects as a result of the disaster.
Abandoned by his parents at birth, Nikita now lives in orphanage ‘No.7’ in Minsk, Belalus.
He will spend the next four weeks with the Hogan family of Fermoy, who will provide him with the nurturing care and support that he so desperately needs.
The Hogan family have been volunteers with CCI for a number of years and are also hosting a young girl, named Maryna, from the same orphanage.
Paying credit to the families, Adi Roche said; “The success of this is due to the commitment and kindness of volunteer host families all over Ireland who fundraise year round.”