Angelina is back ‘home’ with her favourite family
BELARUSIAN GIRL RETURNS FOR VITAL BREAK TO TRALEE FAMILY, WHILE HER HEALTH IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY
THE value of Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children’s International charity is infinite. Just ask Belarusian 11-year-old Angelina Harokhava on completing her third lengthy stint this week with a family in Tralee, who have come to love her as one of their own, as she has them.
It was through the charity that Angelina has been taken into the heart of the Sugrue clan – thanks to long-time charity volunteers George and Mary Sugrue.
It’s been a year since she last saw the Sugrues, having stayed with them over two periods in 2017. On both those occasions, Angelina’s health improved dramatically. a result of first-rate health care and the love with which she was surrounded.
This summer proved no different as Susan and Ian Sugrue; their daughters, Ciara (14) and Roisin (11); Ian’s dad, George; and wife, Mary, pulled out all the stops to ensure every moment in Kerry would count for Angelina’s physical, mental and emotional health.
“She has come on tremendously since getting back to Kerry,” Mary Sugrue told The Kerryman.
“The one-to-one care that Susan gave her has made an incredible difference, and we were just overjoyed to have her back with us again.” The joy was writ large on Angelina’s face too upon exiting the airport – becoming more animated and smiling than the family could ever remember seeing her before.
For the rest of the year, Angelina lives in the Vesnova Mental Institution for children and young adult, where much of her days are spent without much enjoy. But it is at least supported by the Adi Roche charity and is improving all the time.
Mary – who was in Vesnova with George just last April – is now working with Adi to try to access speech therapy and occupational therapy for Angelina there. Though she will be far from them following her return this week, Angelina has never been closer their hearts.