‘They’re part of the family’ - Chernobyl group arrive for Christmas

Embraced by loud cheers and tears of delight, a group of children and young adults with special needs from the Chernobyl area of Belarus were welcomed by their host families at Dublin Airport on Tuesday.

The 30 children and young adults, who have been affected by the fallout of the 1986 nuclear disaster, were led into the arrivals hall by Chernobyl Children International founder Adi Roche, who declared “this is the embodiment of the message of Christmas”.

Families from Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Dublin, Mayo, Limerick, Wicklow and Wexford are hosting children and young adults from the Vesnova Children’s Institute for a rest and recuperation holiday over the next two weeks.

Among the visiting group are “the two Sashas”. The pair, who are aged 25 and 26, are wheelchair bound and will spend Christmas with the Meaney family from Bray.

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“They’ve been coming over to the family for over 17 years,” said Damien Meaney. “They’re part of the family and the community. It’s a very special day for all of the family.

“They’re welcomed everywhere they come and everyone knows them. It really gives them a great lift and it’s just a really happy time for the family.”

‘Part of the family’

Marie Cox, her husband and four sons from Castlebar, Co Mayo have been hosting Shadovok (17), who is also wheelchair bound, for the last nine years.

“He comes over every Christmas and every summer each year so he’s a big part of the family, he’s like the fifth son,” said Ms Cox.

“It was only when we started to host him initially that we realised he had no life experience at all. He had never felt wind, the rain on his face, he didn’t like being out, he would have never seen night time. He was in the orphanage all the time so over the years we’ve slowly had to introduce different things.

“Now he will try anything, he will go to Westport House, he goes to the beach, he loves to get out on a boat. He loves travelling in the car and visiting other people.”

Code named ‘Operation Sleigh Ride’, the charity has brought more than 25,000 children to Ireland to stay with host families since 1991.

Ms Roche said the stays in Ireland “break the isolation” for the children and young adults.

“There’s so much love here, so much compassion and we’re eternally grateful for that. These young adults would be forgotten, neglected by the rest of the world were it not for the people of Ireland,” she said.

“Chernobyl remains an unfolding disaster, children are the living reminder of a tragedy that the rest of the world has forgotten but not the people of Ireland. It’s an extraordinary moment, it’s uplifting, it’s heart-warming, it’s joyous and it makes me so proud to feel Irish.”

‘Magical’

Trina Rooney, a volunteer from north Dublin, was married less than two weeks ago but still made sure to welcome Maryna (14), who is making her ninth visit to Ireland.

“This is a continuation of the celebration. I’m just delighted. Coming over at Christmas time is just so magical for them, we just live for it,” she said.

“We live on a farm so at first it was very daunting for Maryna because she had very little interaction with animals coming from the institute but she’s got quite used to that. She would be talking to the hens now as she pushes her doll’s pram around now. She loves interaction and just being involved in everything.”