Children helped by Chernobyl charity reunite with Adi Roche at UCC ceremony
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They are the living legacy of her humanitarian work and they were there last night to see her honoured.
Innocent victims of the Chernobyl disaster, who were all abandoned in the same orphanage, and then saved by Adi Roche and her charity, Chernobyl Children International (CCI), were reunited with her at UCC last night to see her conferred with an honorary degree.
“They are the embodiment of the essence of our work. They are the enduring legacy of our work,” Adi said.
Anna Gabriel, Raisa Carolan and Marharyta Marozova, all of whom were born years after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster with a range of Chernobyl-related disabilities and illnesses, were all abandoned as infants to the same children’s institution in Minsk.
However, their lives were saved when Chernobyl Children International (CCI) intervened and arranged medical care and support in Ireland, which enabled them to live fulfilled and happy lives.
Anna was adopted by the Gabriel family in Bandon in 1999, went to school in Bandon, and went on to become an account technician. She now works with a company near Bandon.
Raisa, a UCC graduate, plays wheelchair Rugby 7’s for Ireland, has a growing interest in rowing, and wants to help children with physical difficulties overcome life’s challenges.
And Marharyta, who was destined for an adult asylum, was brought to Ireland to stay with George and Mary Sugrue, in Tralee, before undergoing life-saving surgery here. She is now a trained accountant in Belarus, and travelled to Cork for the conferring.
She said:
"It is a great honour for me to be here. I am so happy for Adi for this honour for the huge work she has done over all the years."
Ms Roche started working in the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster to provide support to children living in the affected areas, which led to the founding of CCI.
As voluntary CEO, she has overseen the delivery of more than €108m of humanitarian aid and services to the Chernobyl-affected regions.