EDITORIAL: Compassion and commitment (04/25/99)

EDITORIAL

Compassion and commitment

Compassion and leadership, commitment and courage, hope and resolve, unflagging dedication - these were all words of praise heard at the recent ceremony honoring First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton with the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund's Lifetime Humanitarian Achievement Award. These words of praise, however, were offered both ways. While the foundation thanked the first lady for her commitment and support, she in turn recognized the tremendous effort of the foundation - of its dedicated staff and remarkable volunteers.

"I've seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears the difference that CCRF's work has made," noted the first lady who has traveled to Ukraine several times. "There has always been a picture of courage and endurance connected with the Ukrainian people," she added, "but what you have achieved through CCRF is absolutely remarkable. You've not only helped to heal bodies, but to lift spirits, and to increase resolve. You are doing an extraordinary job to heal the lingering wounds of Chornobyl - and to persuade, cajole the Ukrainian people that they can withstand this catastrophe and go into the future."

Mrs. Clinton also made another strong point - one that is frequently not understood - that only through humanitarian aid did we in the West begin to understand the consequences of Chornobyl. It is from French and German and Canadian and American doctors and relief workers that the tragic dimensions of the Chornobyl disaster began to be known - and not because governments were forthcoming with information, and not from international atomic regulatory agencies, or from industry experts, or from scientists, all sources from which we should expect information and clarity.

In all the tragedies of the 20th century, young and defenseless children truly are the greatest victims. And of all of this century's tragedies, noted Mrs. Clinton, there is hardly one that posed a greater challenge than the one still posed by Chornobyl. It is a tragedy that will continue for decades. Experts predicted that long-term consequences will only begin to appear 10 years after the tragedy, and most only after 15 to 20 years after the explosion. At 13 years, we are only in the nascent stage of the long-term consequences. Yet, new studies have begun to show the shift away from the short-term health consequences of radiation exposure, such as leukemia and thyroid disorders, to the long-term consequences, such as an increase in cancers, tumors, hormonal and hematological disorders.

"People do not want to think about it. They just want to go on with their lives. They try to block it out, deny it - otherwise they would give in to despair," says Svitlana Kushchenko of Kyiv whose 14-year-old son has a bone tumor on his left knee. "However, how can I not think about it? A young boy with tumors, is this normal? I don't think so. Is it caused by Chornobyl? I don't know. But he was a small boy, playing outside with his grandmother in the days when Chornobyl happened. How do I know?" she asks angrily.

"I've looked into the eyes of young children who knew they were stricken," said the first lady, "and when we see our children and know how fortunate they are to be growing up in America, it strengthens our resolve to help other children less fortunate ... so let us resolve to support those who are in the front lines - like CCRF - in their battle to help the children and to do everything we can to build a caring society, and show the victims of Chornobyl and the people of Ukraine that the world will not forget, that we will stand with them as they continue to fight and struggle against the horror that is Chornobyl."

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