CCRF, Tetrapak sponsor summer holiday for ailing children (09/06/98)

CCRF, Tetrapak sponsor summer holiday for ailing children

SHORT HILLS, N.J. - The Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund and the Swedish packaging company in Ukraine, Tetrapak, co-sponsored a special summer holiday on August 5 for ailing children at the Puscha Vodytsia Center for Radiation Protection.

Located in a pristine forest just outside Kyiv, the Puscha Vodytsia sanatorium has become one of the leading centers for the treatment and rehabilitation of children suffering from leukemia, thyroid cancer and other life-threatening conditions. Since the Chornobyl disaster began in 1986, more than 20,000 children have received treatment for radiation-related illnesses at this site, according to assistant director Dr. Nadia Gudz.

The August 5 holiday featured performances by the Theater Troupe from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and popular musicians and entertainers from Ukrainian television and radio. The holiday was organized as part of Tetrapak's long-term commitment to donate high-quality juices and nutritional products for the children at Puscha Vodytsia.

In 1998 alone, Tetrapak has delivered more than 24 tons of free milk and juice to the center, said company representative Julia Romanova. Without such corporate sponsorships, many hospitals in Ukraine are finding it difficult to provide basic food and medication for their patients.

More than 100 children participated in the August 5 program. Frequently erupting into applause and laughter, they showed great appreciation for the stilt-walkers, clowns, jugglers, mimes and storytellers who provided comic relief and helped take their minds off their difficult treatment schedules. Many of their parents and doctors also welcomed the entertainers.

Adding to the festive atmosphere, the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund distributed toys and presents donated by children at the Great Oak Middle School in Oxford, Conn., stuffed animals donated by the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, and children's chewable vitamins purchased at great discounts from Solgar Laboratories.

The CCRF also delivered the anti-leukemic medication Elspar (L-asparigenase) manufactured by Merck and Co. of New Jersey. According to CCRF President Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky Elspar is one of the critical chemotherapeutic agents needed to bring leukemic children into remission. It is in extremely short supply in Ukraine and in many other East European countries. The medication was secured through the efforts of Dr. Mona Mikalsen, CCRF board member.

On behalf of her colleagues, Dr. Gudz expressed gratitude to Tetrapak and the CCRF and to all the Western donors who have bolstered the hospital's ability to treat seriously ill children. Sharp reductions in the budgets of federal and regional ministries of health have created enormous hardships for local hospital administrators such as Dr. Gudz. Nearly all hospitals are facing cutbacks in services and many doctors are forced to go for weeks and months without salaries.

The August 5 holiday provided a badly needed morale boost for the patients, their families and hospital staff. It also helped to draw national attention to the importance of Puscha Vodytsia as a key treatment center for Chornobyl illnesses, underscoring the impact of Ukraine's medical and financial crisis on the nation's children.

The holiday received extensive news coverage in the Kyiv Post, Kyivski Viedomosti, Uriadovyi Kurier and other publications in Ukraine.

The CCRF is currently planning its 20th major airlift to Ukraine for this fall. During the summer, the fund organized several smaller shipments to other children's hospitals.

Anyone interested in supporting CCRF's humanitarian mission is urged to call (973) 376-5140 or send a tax-deductible donation to Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, 272 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078. The CCRF's new website is located at: http://www.ccrf-iccf.org.

| Home Page |