CHORNOBYL CHRONICLECHILDREN OF CHORNOBYL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT FUND NEWSLETTER

1986 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION 2006 SPRING 2006 ISSUE NUMBER 35

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FIRST LADY KATERYNA YUSHCHENKOGREETS COMMEMORATIVE AIRLIFT

CCRDF Delivers $2.8 Million Worth of Vital Medicine and State-of-the-ArtMedical Equipment to Partner Hospitals in Ukraine

American and Ukrainian officials meet the cargo plane at Kyiv Boryspil Airport. TheCommemorative Airlift was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State (USDOS) and includedin-kind donations from companies including Americares, Merck, Becton Dickinson, Panalpina,Nonin, Nova BioMedical, and Aesculap. (L-R): U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst,Ukraine 3000 Executive Director Andriy Myroshnichenko, CCRDF President ZenonMatkiwsky, First Lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko, CCRDF Director of Programs NadiaMatkiwsky, CCRDF Vice President Valerie Burachinsky, CCRDF Director of ProcurementAlexa Milanytch, CCRDF Executive Director Alexander Kuzma, USDOS Director ofHumanitarian Program for Europe and Eurasia Gerald Oberndorfer, and CCRDF UkraineChairwoman of the Board Olena Nyzhnykevych. (See full story on pages 2 and 3)

CCRDF President Zenon Matkiwsky and NY City Opera soloist Oksana Krovytska meetwith the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and First Lady Kateryna Yushchenkoduring the Chornobyl 20th Anniversary Conference.

CHORNOBYL CONFERENCE DRAWSSPEAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

CCRDF and Ukraine 3000 Organize Humanitarian Forum “Rebirth, Renewal, and Human Development” in Kyiv

Following the delivery of medi-cine and surgical supplies to theAmosov Center of CardiacSurgery in Kyiv, CCRDFDirector of Procurement AlexaMilanytch visits the center, whereshe meets one of the hospital’syoungest patients with her moth-er. The baby girl was born witha heart anamoly that was surgi-cally corrected by the center’stalented surgeons. Thanks toCCRDF’s continued support ofthe hospital, many more suchbabies will have an opportunityto live long, healthy lives.

Kyiv – At 3PM on April 24, in the Taras Shevchenko National Opera Theater,President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko opened the plenary session of the combinedScientific and Humanitarian International Forums marking the 20th Anniversary of theChornobyl nuclear disaster. President Yushchenko stressed the importance of maintain-ing nuclear safety, saying that “we have a responsibility to the living, the dead, and tothose yet unborn,” to ensure that another Chornobyl disaster does not take place. The ple-nary session drew distinguished guests from many countries, including Japan, the UnitedStates, Great Britain, Canada, Israel, Italy, Spain, Belarus, the Russian Federation, andBrazil, as well as guests from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Amongthe keynote speakers was CCRDF’s President and Founder Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky whodelivered a monumental speech by defying the IAEA’s Chornobyl Forum Report of 2005and challenging the United Nations and the global community to address the many criti-cal health issues that were totally ignored by the IAEA and the United Nations report. Dr.Matkiwsky cited a number of compelling health studies on Chornobyl’s long-term impactthat have yet to be reported by the international press. Drawing an analogy with the cover-up of the Ukrainian Terror Famine of 1933, Dr. Matkiwsky reminded the audience thateven Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes cannot protect journalists or health researchers against theinfamy that comes with falsifying a human tragedy. “One way or another, the truth willcome out about Chornobyl,” said Dr. Matkiwsky. “It may take another twenty, or even 50years. We can only hope that Chornobyl’s impact will be less severe than we expected.But we have a duty to seek the truth. And we have an opportunity to (continued on pg. 4)

UMC GRANT GENERATESMAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN FIVE

CCRDF PARTNER HOSPITALS

We are pleased to report on dramatic improvements that havebeen achieved in five of our partner hospitals as a result of the generousgrant provided by Ukraine’s leading wireless communications companyUMC. Last year, UMC celebrated its 10 millionth customer with a spe-cial charity drive that raised $133,000 in voluntary donations from UMCcustomers across Ukraine. UMC doubled this (continued on page 5)

Adam Wojacki, General Manager of UMC-Ukraine, along with membersof the press and representatives of UMC’s staff, visits the Lviv RegionalChildren’s Hospital to see first-hand the equipment installed by CCRDF.(L-R) Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Roman Kovalsky, Lviv Regional HealthMinistry official Dr. Irina Mykychak, Mr. Wojacki, UMC grant managerand Community Relations Director Yaryna Klyuchkovska, and others.

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expressed special thanks to U.S. State DepartmentDirector of Humanitarian Programs for Europe andEurasia Gerald Oberndorfer and the rest of the staff of theUSDOS who worked to provide funding for this airlift.Ambassador Shamshur also acknowledged the efforts ofCongressman Diaz-Balart, Congresswoman MarcyKaptur, and their colleagues at the House ofRepresentatives, who, on the previous day, passed a reso-lution calling for continued assistance for Ukraine.

The survivors of the Chornobyl catastrophe wererepresented at the press conference by Vasyl and MariaKavatsiuk, who shared their experiences in the wake ofthe Chornobyl tragedy and spoke about how CCRDF’sassistance helped them. Vasyl Kavatsiuk is a survivingliquidator of the Chornobyl disaster. A professional musi-cian and conductor of the Ukrainian Radio and TelevisionOrchestra in Kyiv, he was activated as an army reservistto command a unit that was putting the nuclear wasteback into the damaged core of the reactor. After sometreatment in Moscow, he returned home to what hedescribed as a “miserable” life. He was ill, his firstdaughter, Marta, died before reaching the age of two, andhis second child, Maria, faced an uncertain fate. Butthanks to the timely treatment facilitated by CCRDF,Maria’s life and his were spared. “As a father and as afamily, we’ll never forget this,” he said. Daughter MariaKavatsiuk recalled one of her earliest memories ofCCRDF, “[I remember] being surrounded and immersedin all the loving care by many people that helped me andmy family.” The 16-year-old continued, “There are somany more children that need our help today, and onlywith your support can we provide that help.” MissKavatsiuk also spoke about her plans for the future. “Ihope to become an active member of this foundation bybecoming a doctor and helping to save children’s lives, asthe foundation saved my life.” On the following day, theKavatsiuk family left for a visit to Ukraine - their firstsince being evacuated to the United States in 1990.

Ukrainian Congress Committee of AmericaPresident Michael Sawkiw, Jr., and representatives ofCongresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) andCongressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Andre

CCRDF LAUNCHES COMMEMORATIVE 20 AIRLIFTPress Conference at the Embassy of Ukraine

by: Yaro Bihun -Ukrainian Weekly, Alexa Milanytch - CCRDF

Washington, DC – On April 5, the Children ofChornobyl Relief and Development Fund (CCRDF) helda press conference at the Embassy of Ukraine to launchthe 20th Anniversary Commemorative Airlift. The med-ical airlift, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State,delivered vital medicine, state-of-the-art equipment, andhospital supplies to the children of Ukraine. Americanand Ukrainian government representatives and CCRDF’ssupporters attended the press conference.

As highlighted by one of the conference princi-pals, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and GlobalAffairs Dr. Paula Dobriansky, this commemorative airliftwas part of an ongoing process by private groups and theU.S. Government to provide post-Chornobyl Ukrainewith medical and humanitarian assistance. Dr.Dobriansky said, “Since 1989, CCRDF [has delivered]medical aid valued at more than $55 million. And since1992, the U.S. government has provided Ukraine withhumanitarian commodities and Freedom Support fundswith a combined value of more than $1 billion.” Thispartnership between the public and private sectors repre-sents “the best of America’s initiative and generosity.”Under Secretary Dr. Dobriansky noted that the involve-ment of the Cuban-American community in theChornobyl assistance efforts was initiated in December atthe request of Ukraine’s First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko(see related story on pg. 8).

Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)whose staff helped organize the Cuban-American com-munity’s involvement in the Chornobyl aid effort,explained the community’s interest by paraphrasing astatement made by Martin Luther King about injusticeanywhere being an affront to justice everywhere. “In thesame spirit,” he said,“my communitybelieves that helpinga child anywhere ishelping a childeverywhere.”

Calling theChornobyl accident“one of the saddestevents in Ukrainianhistory,” the event’shost, UkrainianAmbassador Dr.Oleh Shamshur,expressed his coun-try’s gratitude to allwho have come to itsassistance. The 17years of work byCCRDF has made“an enormous differ-ence” for its 24 part-ner hospitals inUkraine and themany people affect-ed by the disaster.The Ambassador

(L-R): Panalpina Vice President of Sales Ken Jones, United States Department of State Humanitarian (USDOS)Operations Officer for Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) Dean Fischer, Panalpina Vice President of OperationsBenno Bartholdi, CCRDF Director of Procurement Alexa Milanytch, St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church ofSilver Springs, MD, Pastor Rev. Volodymyr Steliac, USDOS Deputy Director of Humanitarian Programs forEUR/ACE John Post, CCRDF Vice President Valerie Burachinsky, USDOS Director of Humanitarian Programs forEUR/ACE Gerald Oberndorfer, CCRDF Financial Officer Tanya Vena, USDOS Humanitarian Program Officer forEUR/ACE Nicole Shank, Embassy of Ukraine Second Secretary of Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs Natalia Holub

Kravchenko andOrest Deychakiwskyalso addressed thepress conference.On behalf ofCongressman Smith,Mr. Deychakiwskystated, “We needongoing support fororganizations likeCCRDF that hasworked for 16 yearsto provide state-of-the-art medical tech-nology, physiciantraining, and humani-tarian aid to giveUkrainian children afighting chance to overcome cancer and leukemia.Clearly, there is much work that remains to be done.Again, I commend the devoted leadership, staff, volun-teers, and supporters of CCRDF for your tireless workand deep commitment to a most noble cause.” Thesewords were echoed by the letters of support from SenatorFrank Lautenberg (D-NJ), NJ Governor Jon Corzine, andOlympic Champion Viktor Petrenko.

CCRDF Director of Procurement AlexaMilanytch, who moderated the session, highlighted someof CCRDF’s achievements in caring for Chornobyl’s vic-tims. Even though one-third of the children in the regionhave suffered from tumors and other medical problems,and certain birth defects have doubled, there is hope. InKharkiv Children’s Hospital No. 16, for instance, therecovery and remission rates for childhood leukemia have

improved from a dismal 5 percent - a virtual death sen-tence - in 1991 to 75 percent in 2004, thanks to the instal-lation of modern equipment such as a blood cell separatorand a full protocol of chemotherapeutic agents. CCRDFhas created model neonatal intensive care units in Poltavaand Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk, where infant mortality hasdropped by as much as 45 to 80 percent, even as the hos-pitals began to take on a larger volume of infants withmore difficult pathologies. By raising the standard ofcare, CCRDF has also stimulated citizen initiatives, pri-vate philanthropy, and indigenous government programsthat were virtually unheard of during the Soviet era.

CCRDF thanks the in-kind sponsors of the air-lift: AmeriCares, Merck, Becton Dickinson, Panalpina,Nonin, Nova BioMedical, and Aesculap, whose donationsfilled the aircraft with medical aid valued at $1.7 million,bringing the combined total of humanitarian aid deliveredthis commemorative year to $2.8 million. CCRDF isgrateful to all participants for supporting this cause andsincerely thanks all those involved in staging the pressconference, especially Ambassador Shamshur, NataliaHolub, and the staff at the Embassy of Ukraine. Lastly,CCRDF thanks Adrienne Burachinsky, Maya Milanytch,Zoriana Nehrebeckyj, and its staff for organizing thepress conference and preparing the cargo for departure.

Sixteen-year-old Maria Kavatsiukarrived to the United States inFebruary of 1990. Showing earlysymptoms of leukemia, CCRDF spon-sored the treatment of then six-month-old Maria along with her father,Vasyl, who served as a liquidator atthe Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Congressional Fellow for Congresswoman Marcy KapturAndre Kravchenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Dr.Oleh Shamshur, and Council General of Ukraine MykolaKyrychenko at the DC Press Conference

CCRDF Financial Officer Tanya Fesenko Vena reads a state-ment from CCRDF President Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky

Chief of Staff to Congressman Diaz-Balart Ana Carbonell,CCRDF Vice President Valerie Burachinsky, an d CongrassmanLincoln Diaz-Balart

Under Secretary of State forDemocracy and Global Affairs Dr.Paula Dobriansky

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COMMEMMORATIVE AIRLIFT ARRIVES IN KYIV

More than 12 tons of medical aid was delivered to Ukraine when the Chornobyl20 Commemorative Airlift landed at Borispol Airport in Kyiv on April 20. The humanitar-ian aid was greeted by First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko, U.S. Ambassador John Herbst, theCCRDF staff and Kyiv Board Members, and the international press. This commemorativeyear, American-donated medicines, equipment, and supplies have reached 12 partner hospi-tals located throughout Ukraine, delivering over $2.8 million worth of aid.

The Chornobyl 20 Commemorative flight is symbolic of CCRDF’s 20th anniver-sary motto, “Rebirth, Renewal, and Development.” Each humanitarian delivery to Ukrainemarks a new beginning for a child who will be benefiting from the aid contained within.With each humanitarian delivery CCRDF renews its commitment made seventeen years agoto bring medical relief to the children in Ukraine. CCRDF continues to strive to develop astronger health care system in Ukraine by engaging corporate donors and private individualsto act as partners of CCRDF to equip hospitals with modern medical technology and toenable doctors to further pursue accredited medical education.

It has been seventeen years since the Children of Chornobyl Relief andDevelopment Fund visited its first partner hospital in Ukraine. CCRDF Founders Dr. andNadia Matkiwsky were appalled to discover a health care system 70 years behind that of theWestern world. Since 1989, CCRDF has worked tirelessly to deliver medicines, life-savingequipment, and medical supplies, valued at over $55 million, to its 24 partner hospitals. Thisendeavor could not have been accomplished without the aid of CCRDF’s most loyal support-ers. CCRDF’s greatest reward is to see a healthy smiling child leaving the hospital with abrighter future. Thank you for helping us keep our promise to the children who confront thelegacy of Chornobyl.

Ukrainian and international reporters follow First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko andCCRDF Founder Nadia Matkiwsky as the women inspect the cargo that arrived inKyiv aboard CCRDF’s Commemorative Airlift on April 20.

UKRAINE 3000 ESTABLISHES “FROMHOSPITAL TO HOSPITAL” PROGRAM

The International Fund Ukraine 3000, a non-governmental charitableorganization, was created by First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko to promote, pro-tect, preserve, and rebuild Ukraine’s history, culture, and crucial public sectorsthat serve the general population of Ukraine. Ukraine 3000 Foundation’s med-ical division established a program “From Hospital to Hospital” to enhanceefficiency in the country’s health-care system, develop effective service prac-tices, and improve the quality of care for all of Ukraine’s children.

As a first step of the program, Mrs. Yushchenko selected 25 children’shospitals - one in each region of Ukraine - to partner with a leading medicalinstitution in a medically advanced country. Such a partnership will createdirect links for interaction between medical experts from Ukraine and coun-tries throughout Europe, North America, and the Pacific Rim, enablingUkrainian physicians to work with reliable associates in order to gain worldclass experience in a variety of medical fields.

Mrs. Yushchenko has asked CCRDF to be an advisor in this endeav-or because of the Fund’s successful partnerships with twenty-four hospitalsthroughout Ukraine – fourteen children’s hospitals and ten maternity centers.CCRDF also understands the importance of comprehensive medical trainingconferences and the publication of translated medical books and manuals. Inaddition to the delivery of surgical instruments, hospital supplies, medicine,neonatal equipment, and state-of-the-art cardiac, oncological, and laboratory-diagnostic tools, these components serve as an example of exemplary hospital-to-hospital partnerships that Ukraine 3000 wants to replicate.

On March 17, CCRDF founders Dr. Zenon and Nadia Matkiwsky,Executive Director Alexander Kuzma, several medical advisers, and CCRDFhospital partners were invited to participate in a summit conference chaired byMrs. Yushchenko to further promote the “From Hospital to Hospital” Program.This summit invited many international and national organizations which areinterested in helping Ukraine build the “From Hospital to Hospital” program.

Presently, the situation in Ukrainian medical institutions is critical dueto significant epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, nervous disorders, mentalretardation, and the high rate of oncological diseases. The future of Ukrainedepends on the present health of its children, and the “From Hospital toHospital” program will hopefully serve as the the first step by a Ukrainian-based charitable organization to extensively improve the quality of care for thenation’s citizens.

CCRDF’S MAINECHAPTER SPONSORS

LAPAROSCOPY UNIT INCHERNIVTSI

CCRDF’s Maine Chapter hasraised funds to complete a program at theChernivtsi City Clinical Children’s HospitalNo. 1 to create a laparoscopy unit which willprevent patients from having to undergogeneral surgery, thus making them less sus-ceptible to infection. Through the efforts offormer and current Directors of ProcurementLisa and Alexa Milanytch and through gen-erous discounts provided by Aesculap, todate, CCRDF has delivered the neededlaparoscopy equipment to furnish the unit.CCRDF has also arranged for the training oftwo physicians from the Chernivtsi hospital,Dr. Mykola Khoma and Dr. Vitaliy Livchak,who underwent intensive laparoscopic train-ing in November 2005 at the HannoverKinderklinic at the Hannover MedicalUniversity in Germany. To complete theprogram, the physicians will be traveling tothe Shalimov Institute in Kyiv where theywill practice laparoscopic surgery on anexisting unit that is similar to the one thatwas procured. The final phase of the pro-gram involves sending a laparoscopic sur-geon from the Shalimov Institute to overseethe first few operations at the Chernivtsihospital. On behalf of the patients and med-ical staff at the Chernivtsi hospital, CCRDFthanks Dr. Bohdan Slabyj and the MaineChapter for their initiative to fund this proj-ect, and Claudio Nobile from Aesculap whoorganized the physician training.

Following the March 17 strategic conference L-R: Dianne Kube of theCommunity Oncology Alliance, CCRDF Founder Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky,Chairman of Pediatrics at Miller Medical Center Dr. Steven Lipshultz, Mr.Rodney Seddon representing a leading British children’s oncology foundation,First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko, Dr. Igor Mokryk from the Amosov CardiacSurgery Center, Chief Doctor at the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Children’sHospital Dr. Radyslav Koturbash, Dr. Alexander Etnis of the Kyiv-basedMedical Relief Foundation, CCRDF Founder Nadia Matkiwsky, Chief Doctorfrom the Rivne Regional Children’s Hospital Dr. Vitaliy Boyko, Dr. GrygoriyKlymnyuk from the National Institute of Oncology, Dr. Dmytro Hutsulak fromthe Mykolaiv Regional Children’s Hospital, and CCRDF Executive DirectorAlexander Kuzma.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, has donated alarge quantity of its vitamin “Immunovit C”® to over 10,000 schoolchildren in the westernregion of Kyiv, Sviatoshyn District. Above, CCRDF Executive Director Alexander Kuzma andrepresentatives from GlaxoSmithKline distribute the vitamins to schoolchildren.

POPSTAR RUSLANATOURS CHILDREN’SHOSPITAL IN LVIV

The popular Ukrainian recording artist andthe newly elected Deputy to the UkrainianParliament Ruslana Lyzhychko toured LvivRegional Children’s Clinical Hospital topromote her humanitarian efforts with theChildren of Chornobyl Relief andDevelopment Fund to save children’s lives.Visibly moved by the sight of prematureinfants struggling to overcome various com-plications, Ruslana commended the miracu-lous efforts of neonatal cardiac surgeon Dr.Roman Kovalsky at the Lviv Okhmatdytwho has helped to save hundreds of babieswith the help of respirators, pulse oxime-ters, and other intensive care and diagnosticequipment. The 2004 winner of theEurovision Song Contest continues herpromise to raise funds for and awareness ofCCRDF’s medical programs.

Eurovision wnner Ruslana visits a baby inthe neonatal intensive care ward at LvivRegional Children’s Clinical Hospital.

(CONFERENCE continued from pg. 1) rebuild the shat-tered medical infrastructure that the Soviets left behind.”After the opening session there was a short briefing withthose who spoke during the plenary session followed by areception for the conference guests.

That evening on April 24, CCRDF hosted a com-memorative concert of classical music sponsored byPhilip Morris and its parent company “Altria Group.”The commemorative concert was opened by the FirstLady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko who quoted JohnKeats’ Ode to a Grecian Urn: “Beauty is truth and truthis beauty.” This star studded event featured renownedUkrainian and international stars, including renownedsoprano Oksana Krovytska of the New York City Operawho performed her signature aria “Un Bel Di” fromPuccini’s Madame Butterfly and Hollywood film starVera Farmiga who read in Ukrainian Ivan Drach’s poem

Chornobylska Madonna.The National OperaOrchestra conducted byMykola Dyadyura providedexquisite renditions ofmany masterpieces from therepertoire of the opera andballet theater. These includ-ed performances by interna-tionally renowned balleri-nas Olena Filipieva andHanna Dorosh and otherwinners of internationalcompetitions includingbass-baritone SerhiyMaghera, soprano NataliaNikolaishin, tenor IhorBorko, and many more out-standing artists. The con-cert opened with Mykola

Lysenko’s overture to the opera Taras Bulba and conclud-ed with the National Academic Choral Cappella “Dumka”which sang the “Lacrimosa” from Mozart’s Requiem andthe prayer for Ukraine, “Bozhe Velyky Yedyny.” Thisconcert was produced and organized by CCRDF’sFounder Nadia Matkiwsky and the artistic director wasAnatoly Solovyanenko, Director of the Kyiv OperaHouse and son of the world renowned tenorSolovyanenko.

On April 25, at the Mykola Lysenko NationalPhilharmonic Hall, CCRDF and the Foundation Ukraine3000, under the chairmanship of First Lady KaterynaYushchenko, hosted the international humanitarian forumtitled “Rebirth, Renewal and Human Development” tomark the 20th Anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear dis-aster. “The purpose of this conference was to examinesome of the long-term health consequences of theChornobyl disaster and to consider the lessons the worldhas learned from this tragedy,” said CCRDF ExecutiveDirector Alexander Kuzma, who co-presided over theprogram with Andriy Myroshnichenko, the ExecutiveDirector of Ukraine 3000.

At the opening of this forum the First LadyKateryna Yushchenko emphasized the importance ofinternational awareness andcommunication and sharingsolutions on a global level.Mrs. Yushchenko’s presenta-tion was followed by theFirst Lady of Poland MariaKaczynska, renownedauthor Paulo Coelho, U.S.Ambassador John Herbst,Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky,British Ambassador RobertBrinkley, and the VicePresident of the EuropeanBank of Reconstruction andDevelopment Fabrizio

Saccomani. Dr. Matkiwsky addressed the many impor-tant health issues that are often ignored by the worldhealth research establishment. The plenary also featuredpresentations by Juan Manuel Suarez del Torro Rivero,President of the International Federation of the Red Crossand Red Crescent Societies, Koichiro Matsuura, theDirector-General of UNESCO, and Dr. Hiroshi Nakajima,the Director-General of the World Health Organizationbetween 1988 and 1998.

The afternoon program delved into many of thein-depth issues surrounding the Chornobyl aftermath,including the need for emergency preparedness, environ-mental restoration, and the preservation of the uniquePolissian culture of the communities that were perma-nently evacuated following the nuclear disaster. The mostheavily attended session dealt with the health conse-quences of Chornobyl andother humanitarian catastro-phes that have shed light onthe medical needs of affect-ed populations. Severalnoteworthy presentationswere offered by eminentscientists such as Dr. StevenLipshultz, the Chairman ofPediatrics at the MillerMedical Center at theUniversity of Miami, andDr. Wolodymyr Wertelecki,Chairman of MedicalGenetics at the Universityof South Alabama inMobile. Dr. Lipshultzwarned that in addition tothe thyroid cancer epidemicand the increase in various oncological illnesses, theworld must remain vigilant for heart diseases, as childrenexposed to chemotherapy and atomic bomb tests have aneight-fold higher incidence of cardiomyopathy (weaken-ing of the heart muscle) and are vulnerable to suddendeath from heart attack and other cardiac illnesses. Dr.Wertelecki reported on the findings of the Ukrainian-American Association for the Prevention of Birth Defects(UAAPBD) that has been tracking the condition of over104,000 newborns in the provinces of Rivne and Volyn

that received substantialradioactive fallout fromChornobyl. TheUAAPBD has documenteda four-fold increase inspina bifida and neuraltube defects which wasespecially pronounced inthe contaminated districtsof northern Rivne provincewhere the incidence roseto levels nine times higherthan normal. Other veryrare birth defects havebeen documented in thisregion, including a clusterof conjoined twins andsevere facial deformities.

In addition to foreign dignitaries, the session onhealth impact also included several prominent Ukrainianphysicians whose health studies contradicted theChornobyl Forum Report issued in 2005 and whose vig-orous dissents had been deliberately excluded from theIAEA and United Nations press statements. Among thesewas Dr. Mykola Omelianets, a demographer with theNational Institute of Radiation Medicine, who testified onthe death toll of Chornobyl liquidators in Ukraine.According to Dr. Omelianets, ten per cent, or 34,400, ofthe 344,000 Ukrainian emergency workers died between1987 and 2004. Their mortality rate is 2.7 times higherthan other working age males in Ukraine, and cancerdeaths among this group are also 2.7 times higher. Dr.Omelianets pointed out that for the most part, these arestill young men who were in their 20s and 30s at the timeof the nuclear accident, yet 25% of their deaths are causedby cancer, while the average rate of cancer deaths amongUkrainian men is only 9.8 per cent.

Other presenters included Prof. Eduard Pazukinof the Kurchatov Atomic Institute in Moscow, Dr.Angelina Nyagu, the President of the InternationalAssociation of Physicians of Chornobyl, former Ministerof Health of Ukraine Dr. Andriy Serdiouk, Dr. OlhaTymczenko of the Institute Environmental Medicine, andDr. Anatoly Cheban, a leading endocrinologist with theInstitute of Radiation Medicine. Dr. Cheban remindedthe audience that the thyroid cancer epidemic in Ukraineand Belarus is just the tip of an epidemiological iceberg,as fully one-third of all children and adults in these coun-tries suffer from endocrine disorders caused by theirexposure to radioactive iodine and 9,000 children havealready been diagnosed with pre-cancerous thyroid

lesions. Dr. Tymczenko and Dr. Lyudmyla Porokhnyaktestified on the destructive effect of radiation exposure onthe reproductive health of women.

Despite these grim assessments, the conferencealso focused on some of the positive results of the inter-national response to the Chornobyl disaster and the poten-tial for saving the lives of thousands of children andadults. Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky pointed out that “for all theheartache and anguish it has caused, the Chornobyl disas-ter has served as an important catalyst for the revitaliza-tion and modernization of the medical systems ofUkraine, Belarus, Russia, and other former Sovietrepublics.” Citing specific examples from CCRDF’spartner hospitals, Dr. Matkiwsky went on to say that “Wehave seen how even modest investments in new medicaltechnology and training programs have helped to reducethe rate of infant mortality and to dramatically improvecancer remission rates.”

Mr. Jeremy Hartley, the national director ofUNICEF in Ukraine, urged the audience and theUkrainian government to push for simple preventivemeasures such as the iodization of salt that would notonly reduce the risk of thyroid cancer caused by exposureto radioactive iodine, but also dramatically reduce theincidence of mental retardation and improve school per-formance. Similarly, Dr. Wertelecki urged the low-costdissemination of folic acid in bread flour to help reducethe incidence of spina bifida and neural tube defects innewborns. Other speakers such as Dr. Edward Lyman ofthe Union of Concerned Scientists testified about thelargely untapped potential of renewable sources of energythat could reduce dependency on foreign oil and gas,reduce greenhouse gases, and avoid the creation of mas-sive quantities of atomic waste.

At the conclusion of the HumanitarianConference, section leaders presented a humanitarianmanifesto and a series of specific resolutions that wereunanimously approved by the convention participants.On April 26, the manifesto and resolutions were read atthe Ukrainian Parliament. They are also being submittedfor the approval and adoption by various internationaldecision-making bodies. At the parliament during thereading of the resolutions CCRDF Founders Dr. Zenonand Mrs. Nadia Matkiwsky were introduced andacknowledged for their 17 years of dedicated humanitari-an service to the children in Ukraine.

After the resolutions were approved, conferencedelegates and First Lady of Ukraine KaterynaYushchenko, Chairwoman of the HumanitarianConference, enjoyed a 25-minute classical youth concertwith talented Ukrainian stars who are beginning to winacclaim at the international level. The finale was sung bythe Dzvinochok Boys Choir of Kyiv which sangLysenko’s “Vladyko Neba i Zemliy” with the solo ren-

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First Lady of Poland MariaKaczynska.

Dr. Wolodymyr Wertelecki,Chairman of Genetics at theUniversity of South Alabama inMobile.

CCRDF-Ukraine Treasurer Olya Datsenko with Paulo Coelho

CCRDF Executive Director Alexander Kuzma, CCRDF-Ukraine Chairwoman of the Board Olena Nyzhnykevych, FirstLady Kateryna Yushchenko, and CCRDF-Ukraine BoardMember Mike Perry at the commemorative concert.

During the conference reception, the Kyiv Lion’s Club present-ed CCRDF with a check for $17,000 US to be used towards thepurchase of a neonatal respirator. (L-R) former president of theKyiv Lion’s Club and Director of Primeros Funds Group PaulNiland,current President of the Kyiv Lion’s Club PierreSleiman, CCRDF Founder Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky, and CCRDF-Ukraine Chairwoman of the Board Olena Nyzhnykevych.

Hollywood actress andUkrainian-American NJnative Vera Farmiga, star ofMartin Scorcese’s upcomingfilm “The Departed” withJack Nicholson and RobertDeniro.

Dr. Steven Lipshultz,Chairman of Pediatrics at theUniversity of Miami’s MillerMedical Center.

dered by the award winning young tenor Dmytro Popov.This finale brought Mrs. Yushchenko and many in thePhilharmonic Hall to tears. During the standing ovation,the Artistic Director of the Kyiv Opera AnatolySolovyanenko introduced conference committee memberand producer of this concert Mrs. Nadia Matkiwsky topresent an award to the Chairwoman of the HumanitarianConference First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko in recogni-tion of her dedication to the children of Ukraine.

CCRDF is especially grateful to Philip MorrisInternational, their managing director Raman Berent, theirparent company – Altria Group, and the community rela-

tions department under the direction of Olena Khomenkoand government affairs coordinator Olesya Olenycka fortheir generosity in sponsoring this conference and thecommemorative concert on April 24. Beyond their spon-sorship of these historic events, Philip Morris also donat-ed an additional $170,000 to CCRDF to help combat chil-dren’s leukemia in Kharkiv, Rivne, and Zhytomyr andprovided funding for a neonatal intensive care unit at theKharkiv Regional Children’s Hospital. Additional fund-ing for the conference was provided by Coca-ColaInternational, Holtec International, Baker & MacKenzie,Otis Elevator, the Salans Law Firm, and AES Ukraine.

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First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko is surrounded by (L-R) tenorDmytro Popov, Nadia Matkiwsky, choir director of the“Dzvinochok” Boys Choir, and the Director of Kyiv OperaHouse Anatoly Solovyanenko.

Representing Philip Morris International (PMI) that sponsoredthe conference, PMI Director Raman Berent and PMICountry Director Olena Khomenko are introduced to theFirst Lady of Ukraine by Mrs. Nadia Matkiwsky.

KENNAN INSTITUTE FORUMEXAMINES FULL-SCALEIMPACT OF CHORNOBYL

Washington, DC – On April 26, the KennanInstitute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center forScholars hosted a forum commemorating the Chornobyldisaster. The director of the Kennan Institute, BlairRuble, stated that the intention of the forum was to pro-mote conversation about the full-scale impact ofChornobyl for the purpose of drawing a more accuratehistorical conclusion about the disaster. Distinguishedspeakers from a variety of disciplines offered their per-spectives on the Chornobyl accident and its effect on thepeople and regions contaminated by the radiation.

The most debated panel included a discussionabout the health effects of Chornobyl. Didier Louvatfrom the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)presented the findings of the Chornobyl Forum, a groupthat included representatives from international organiza-tions such as the United Nations and the World HealthOrganization, officials from Russia, Ukraine, andBelarus, and prominent scientists and health experts.According to Louvat, the Chornobyl Forum concludedthat there are serious health consequences among the600,000 liquidators who responded to the emergencyclean-up effort following the accident, but limited its“reliable evidence” of those health effects to the 50 casesof radiation exposure immediately following the explo-sion, increased rates of thyroid cancer in children, andpsychological trauma. Murray Feshbach, Senior Scholarat the Woodrow Wilson Center, rebutted with a statementclaiming that the Chornobyl Forum’s report was “tooassertive” and premature in its findings, given the uncer-tainty that exists due to shortcomings in Soviet-era healthstatistics and the long incubation period of many cancers.He also criticized the forum for examining data only inUkraine, Belarus, and Russia despite the fact that formerliquidators live in countries throughout the world.

Leonard Mazur, CCRDF Board Member, sup-ported Feshbach’s conclusions by listing serious healtheffects that have been observed by treating physicians inCCRDF’s partnerhospitals followingthe Chornobyl catas-trophe. He cited anincrease in spinabifida and other neu-ral tube disorders, anincrease in rare andunusual birthdefects, a higher rateof cataracts andblindness among ayounger population,an increase in certaintypes of cardiacdefects in newborns,and increased ratesof bone diseases anddeformities. Mazurnoted that children ofliquidators have experienced chromosomal damage thatcan be passed on to future generations, the so-called“grandchildren of Chornobyl.”

Further inaccuracies were reported by DavidMarples from the University of Alberta. Marples notedthat a recent report from the IAEA understates its claim of4,000 deaths attributed to the Chornobyl accident, while aconflicting report from Greenpeace overstates its estimat-ed claim of 100,000 deaths. Marples believes that thetrue figure lies somewhere in the middle, and a consensuson the actual consequences of the accident remain a dis-tant goal.

After a screening of the film “Chernobyl Heart,”featured cardiac surgeon and founder of the InternationalChildren’s Heart Foundation Dr. William Novick cited hisown observations noting a 100% increase in two particu-lar types of cardiac birth defects after 1986, stating thatthese anomolies are a direct result of the Chornobylnuclear explosion. He also mentioned that there havebeen conflicting reports about the results of Chornobyl,many at opposite extremes with agendas attached to them.According to Novick, if the problems related to the resultsof the nuclear catastrophe are to be solved, and if futureproblems are to be avoided should another catastropheoccur, we must find a middle road that avoids such polit-ical agendas.

Portions of this text taken from a report written by JosephDresen titled, “Commemoration of the ChernobylDisaster: The Human Experience Twenty Years Later,”available at www.wilsoncenter.org/kennan.

CCRDF Board Member LeonardMazur speaks at the Kennan Institute.

New York City – On Friday, April 28, the United Nationsheld a conference in commemoration of the 20thanniversary of Chornobyl. The conference was hostedby the UN Permanent Missions of the three countriesdirectly affected by the Chornobyl nuclear explosion:Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. Among the Ukrainian-Americans who attended were Shevchenko ScientificSociety’s Library Director Svitlana Andrushkiw, CCRDFVolunteer Helena Milanytch, and CCRDF ExecutiveDirector Alexander Kuzma.

CCRDF RECEIVES AN AWARDFROM CONGRESS

Washington, DC - On April 27, the Children ofChornobyl Relief and Development Fund was awarded aCertificate of Special Congressional Recognition for its“outstanding humanitarian work to aid children affectedby the Chornobyl catastrophe.” The certificate was pre-sented to CCRDF Executive Director Alexander Kuzmaby Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, the Co-Chair ofthe Congressional Ukraine Caucus, at a reception that fol-lowed the Congressional Briefing in the Rayburn HouseOffice Building. Ms. Kaptur cited the Fund’s sixteenyears of unrelenting activity in Ukraine where CCRDFhas delivered 32 humanitarian airlifts and 16 sea ship-ments, providing over $55 million dollars worth of med-ical aid, technology, and training to Ukrainian hospitalsand orphanages. Mr. Kuzma thanked the Caucus for thishonor and thanked Representative Kaptur for her leader-ship in promoting humanitarian assistance and greaterawareness of the long-term consequences of theChornobyl accident on Capitol Hill. The reception host-ed representatives of the U.S. State Department, theNational Institutes of Health, the Ukrainian CongressCommittee of America, and various constituent groupscomprising the Chornobyl Challenge ’06 Coalition. TheMaster of Ceremonies during the reception was PaulSpeaker, the President of RKO Films in Hollywood, whostressed the importance of keeping the memory ofChornobyl alive, as many children and future generationswill continue to be affected by radiation exposure.

Among the witnesses called to testify at theCongressional Briefing was Ambassador of Ukraine Dr.Oleh Shamshur and Ambassador of Belarus MikhailKhvostov, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine CarlosPascual, Dr. Scott Davis from the School of Public Healthat the University of Washington, CCRDF’s ExecutiveDirector Alexander Kuzma, Executive Director of theChernobyl Children’s Project International (USA-Belarus) Kathleen Ryan, Deputy Director of the Office ofNuclear Energy, Safety, and Security at the U.S.Department of State Warren Stern, and Country ProgramCoordinator for Ukraine and Belarus at the World BankSerhiy Kulyk.

On behalf of CCRDF, Executive Director Alexander Kuzmareceives the Certificate of Congressional Recognition from OhioRepresentative Marcy Kaptur. (photo by Yuri Kosin)

(UMC GRANT continued from pg. 1)contribution and then added a supplemental grant for atotal gift of $416,000 to the Children of Chornobyl Reliefand Development Fund. Thanks to this generous grant,CCRDF has now purchased state-of-the-art equipment forits partner hospitals in Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernivtsi,Uzhorod, and Kherson. Some of the most valuable itemsare among the first of their kind in Ukraine, including anadvanced “uro-dynamics” system that will enable doctorsin Dnipropetrovsk Children’s Hospital #3 to perform del-icate surgical procedures to correct birth defects of thereproductive and urinary tract. Without this system,many of these babies would become life-long invalids,but can now lead normal lives. We have also purchasedtwo Japanese Fukuda ultrasound units, fetal heart moni-tors, neonatal incubators, and respirators which willgreatly help these hospitals in protecting mothers andtheir unborn babies. UMC’s staff has taken a personalinterest in this grant program, hosting press conferencesin the hospitals to celebrate the installation of this vitaltechnology, and touring the recipient hospitals to see theimprovements first-hand. What is especially gratifying isthat UMC’s leadership as a corporate donor is stimulatingsimilar investments from other businesses and govern-ment agencies. For example, upon seeing the excitingchanges that UMC and CCRDF have brought about at theChernivetska City Maternity Hospital #2, the Mayor ofChernivtsi Mykola Fedoruk pledged $100,000 to pur-chase additional medical equipment to further strengthenthe neonatal unit. The UMC Program with CCRDF hasreceived extensive coverage on national television and inlocal and regional news.

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TEXAS ARTIST DONATESPROCEEDS FROM SALE OF ART

TO CCRDFIn 1991, Lydia Bodnar-Balahutrak, noted artist and long-time presence in the Houston art scene, traveled for thefirst time to her ancestral homeland, Ukraine. Her experi-ences there inspired her to create a portfolio of artworkthat resulted in a series of striking images titled,‘Reflected Innocence.” Mrs. Bodnar-Balahutrak says ofher journey, “The trip opened my eyes and soul to a landbeautiful but ravaged by the Soviet system, a long-suffer-ing yet hopeful people, and a rich culture undergoingreclamation and rebirth. I experienced the compelling vis-itation of Ukraine’s weighty history - from the horrific1932-33 Famine artificially induced by Stalin’s politicalcollectivization policy, to the more recent 1986 nuclearplant explosion in Chornobyl. A deep interest in thehuman condition, at the heart of my painting for a longtime, took new form and urgency in my creative work.”To date, the artist Mrs. Bodnar-Balahutrak has raised over$3000 for the purchase of needed medical equipment forthe NICU at Chernihiv Maternity Center. To view theprints or for more information on how to purchase them,please visit www.texasprint.net/SpecialProjects.html.

CCRDF’s 20/20 CAMPAIGNRaising Awareness of Chornobyl

What started out as a simple fundraiser developed into a wide-

spread campaign to raise awareness of the Chornobyltragedy among the American public. With the start of its20/20 Campaign, CCRDF asked supporters to donate $20– that’s $1 for every year since 1986 – to provide aid forUkraine’s youngest citizens, its children, and its future.The fundraiser sparked the interest of a number of teach-ing, religious, and private institutions throughout the U.S.where CCRDF was invited to give presentations aboutChornobyl and its experience working in Ukraine as ahumanitarian organization. In addition, the “Chornobyl20” commemorative bands were sold to show solidarityamong Ukrainian-Americans and Americans alike inremembrance of the Chornobyl tragedy. In Ukraine, Dr.Tatiana Isakova, Head of the Math Department at thePechersk International School in Kyiv, initiated afundraiser at the school where she teaches, raising overfour hundred dollars by selling the bracelets. Altogether,the 20/20 Campaign raised over sixteen thousand dollars,and CCRDF sincerely thanks everyone who contributedto its success. CCRDF particularly thanks CharissaMartin, Teenage Conference Director in Pittsburgh, whoinitiated the printing of the bracelets to raise awareness ofthe Chornobyl disaster.

YALE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DONATES PROCEEDS TO CCRDFNew Haven, CT - Since 1994, the students and faculty of Yale University have been strong supporters of CCRDF andthe Fund’s medical relief efforts in Ukraine. Three of our In-Country Directors have been graduates of various Yaleprograms, and several musical ensembles including the Yale Slavic Women’s Chorus and the Yale Russian Chorus haveperformed benefit concerts for our Fund. Most recently, on February 25, the Yale Symphony Orchestra (YSO) held aspecial benefit concert at historic Woolsey Hall to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disas-ter. In addition to solo performances by the brilliant young pianist Alexander Rabin and soprano Michelle Adessa, theprogram featured a premier of a very moving orchestral work simply entitled “Chernobyl” by renowned composer andNew Jersey native Nancy Van der Vate. This concert was initiated by several Yale Symphony alumni including vio-linist Adrian Slywotzky, Jr. and YSO’s Managing Director Brian Robinson. Ms. Romana Thibodeau, an active mem-ber of CCRDF’s New Haven Chapter, opened the program with a letter of thanks from CCRDF’s founders Dr. and Mrs.Zenon Matkiwsky. Ms. Thibodeau thanked Maestro Toshiyuki Shimada and the members of the Symphony for theirimportant contribution to our cause. The concert raised over $1,300 in net proceeds for CCRDF. Although comprisedentirely of students, the YSO has won considerable acclaim and it has performed with some of the greatest musiciansof our time, including Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copeland, Emmanuel Ax, and Robert Shaw, and we are proud to winthe support of this fine ensemble.

One of the images of “Reflected Innocense,” by artistLydia Bodnar-Balahutrak. Says the artist of her recentjourney to Ukraine,“The trip opened my eyes to a landbeautiful but ravaged by the Soviet system, a long-suf-fering yet hopeful people, and a rich culture undergoingreclamation and rebirth.”

New York City’s Ukrainian Museum commemo-rated the 20th anniversary of Chornobyl by organizingthree events that raised public awareness about the effectsof the Chornobyl catastrophe. The museum invited theChildren of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund toparticipate in these commemorative events.

On March 12, the Ukrainian Museum opened“Chornobyl +20, This Is Our Land…We Still Live Here.”This photographic documentary depicts the daily choresand portraits of people who continue to reside in the con-taminated zone surrounding the nuclear power plant thatexploded in 1986, sending millions of curies of radiationinto the air. The vivacity and brightness of the photos isa stark contrast to the lingering medical, psychological,and economic injustices of Chornobyl. As stated byCCRDF’s Director of Procurement Alexa Milanytch,“The Ukrainian Museum’s exhibition helps to remind usall that Chornobyl’s legacy continues. It reminds us thatwe cannot forget. As Kofi Annan said, ‘It will not be untilthe year 2016 before the world can BEGIN to fully assessthe impact of Chornobyl, because the radioactive ele-ments spewed out of the reactor will continue to affect theworld for centuries to come.’”

On May 5, the Ukrainian Museum hosted a the-atrical performance titled, “Catch-86,” written and per-formed by Taras Berezowsky. Mr. Berezowsky, a 23-year-old Ukrainian-American, graduated fromKalamazoo College, Michigan, in 2005 with a B.A. inTheatre Arts, and has been working on Catch-86 for thepast two years. In 2004, the then 21-year-old, by his owninitiative, raised capital to fund his trip to an orphanage heknew little about other than the fact that it housed chil-dren affected by the Chornobyl disaster. With help fromCCRDF’s former In-Country Director OlenaNyzhnykevych, Mr. Berezowsky ventured to his ancestralhomeland to interview individuals who have in some waybeen affected by Chornobyl’s legacy. These interviewsbecame the body of his one-man play. “I was soimpressed with how realistically Taras recreated his expe-riences. He was able to accurately portray his encounterswith the people he met and interviewed in Ukraine intohis one-man play,” said CCRDF’s Financial OfficerTanya Vena after seeing the play. CCRDF thanks Tarasfor the hours that he volunteered at Znamyanka orphan-age and commends him for bringing the issue of

Chornobyl to the forefront by relaying the human storiesthat he encountered.

On May 7, the Ukrainian Museum organized ascreening of “Chernobyl Heart,” the 2004 AcademyAward-winning film for Best Documentary Short Subject.The film portrays the effects of the Chornobyl disaster onchildren suffering from a variety of illnesses in orphan-ages in Belarus, where most of the radiation fallout land-ed. Maryann DeLeo, the producer and director of thefilm, spoke about her experiences in traveling to Belarusand creating her documentary and Ms. Milanytch spokeabout CCRDF’s response to combatting the health affectsof the Chornobyl disaster.

CCRDF sincerely thanks the UkrainianMuseum’s President Olya Hnateyko, Executive DirectorMaria Shust, and Board of Directors for their commit-ment to raising public awareness of Ukrainian issues. Byorganizing these worthwhile events, the UkrainianMuseum has exhibited its commitment to educating theAmerican public about Chornobyl.

UKRAINIAN MUSEUM COMMEMORATES CHORNOBYL TRAGEDYPhoto Exhibit, Theatrical Performance, Film Screening

CCRDF Director of Procurement Alexa Milanytch,Museum President Olya Hnateyko, and CCRDFVolunteer Helena Milanytch attend the Chornobyl PhotoExhibition at the Ukrainian Museum in New York City.

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“REMEMBER 1986-2006”CCRDF Supports Canadian Fund

Toronto – On April 9, the Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fundhosted a commemorative concert in Roy Thomson Hall. The concert fea-tured renowned musicians, soloists, and a world premiere of ChristosHatzi’s Wormwood, a powerful musical interpretation of the Chornobylcatastrophe and its linkage to “The Book of Revelations.” The theme ofthe evening was “Remember,” which was echoed in the third musicalscore of concert, a requiem titled, “Panachyda for the Victims ofChornobyl.” During this portion of the concert the audience had anopportunity to recognize the suffering of the victims and reflect on theaccomplishments of the Children of Chornobyl Canadian Fund (CCCF).

CCRDF was especially pleased to support their Canadian sisterorganization, CCCF, because of the history shared between the two organ-izations. In 1990, CCCF’s founder Dr. Yarsoslaw Schudrak joined forceswith CCRDF to launch the NJ-based organization’s first relief flight toUkraine. This partnership triggered the enthusiasm from the Ukrainian-Americans and Ukrainian-Canadians alike. CCRDF particularlyacknowledges Mr. Orest Hustuliak from Canada and Mr. Bohdan Myskofrom the U.S., who donated $20,000 each to pay for the fuel of the transat-lantic flight. With the plane’s arrival in Ukraine, this first humanitariandelivery became a defining moment for the two organizations. Bothorganizations knew this was their calling—to serve the children ofUkraine.

CCRDF’s Director of Procurement Alexa Milanytch congrat-ulated the Canadian Fund for their 17 years of continuous work inUkraine to help the Chornobyl survivors. Children of Chornobyl Reliefand Development Fund applauds the efforts of our neighbor and counter-part, the Canadian Children of Chornobyl Fund, for organizing the com-memorative evening that serves as a reminder of the events that unfoldedon April 26, 1986.

We must rememberthe past and take

action to ensure thesafety of the future.

THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OFUSA SUPPORTS ZNAMYANKA ORPHANAGE

Four Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars Donated to Diaper Program

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA presented a check to CCRDF in theamount of four thousand eight hundred dollars for the Diaper Program at theZnamyanka orphanage. One thousand dollars was donated by St. VolodymyrUkrainian Orthodox Church in Parma, Ohio, and three thousand eight hundreddollars was given by the United Ukrainian Orthodox Sisterhoods of theUkrainian Orthodox Church of USA. The program will provide the orphanagewith diapers for bedridden children. CCRDF thanks the Ukrainian OrthodoxChurch for its continued support!

UNWLA BRANCH 100 DONATES FUNDS TO CCRDFCarteret, NJ – On May 7, Branch 100 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA), under theleadership of Talia Kaskiw and Oksana Kuzyszyn, held a Chornobyl commemorative program at St. Mary’s Churchhall. The event provided attendees with an opportunity to see what CCRDF is doing to combat the health effectsof Chornobyl by viewing the film, Voices of Vision. This documentary film traces the consequences of the nuclearexplosion and the humanitarian effort to alleviate some of the most catastrophic results. On behalf of the childrenof Ukraine, CCRDF sincerely thanks the members of UNWLA Branch 100 for their efforts and their contributionof five hundred dollars to the Fund.

CHICAGO COMMUNITY HOLDSSCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE

ON CHORNOBYL

Chicago, IL - On April 29, CCRDF’s Executive DirectorAlexander Kuzma was a featured speaker at an all-dayscientific conference commemorating the 20thAnniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster inChicago. The conference took place on the campus ofthe Rush Medical Center’s School of Public Health at theUniversity of Illinois where Mr. Kuzma appeared along-side several noted Chornobyl experts including Dr. DavidMarples of the University of Alberta, former CCRDFBoard member Dr. Ihor Masnyk of the National CancerInstitute, Gordon Fowler, Program Manager for the U.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Russia and Ukraine,Dr. Karim Khan and Dr. Daria Hrynkiw Khan, projectengineers with Bechtel’s Chornobyl ShelterImplementation Program, and Dr. Pavlo Zamostyan of theUNDP (United Nations Development Program).Another key speaker was Dr. Anatoly Okeanov of theResearch Center of Radiation Medicine in Minsk whoreported on compelling new evidence of growing breastcancer and lung cancer rates among Chornobyl liquida-tors and survivors in contaminated regions of Belarus.As the concluding speaker in the program, Mr. Kuzmacalled on the audience to respond to the humanitarian cri-sis that continues to unfold in the regions affected byChornobyl’s fallout. He reminded his listeners thatChicago’s medical community and its large Ukrainian-American enclave could become a “powerhouse” in pro-viding timely assistance to Ukrainian hospitals andresearch centers. “You have the power to save thousandsof lives in the years to come,” said Mr. Kuzma. He citednumerous cases in which timely medical aid fromCCRDF and other Western donors helped to reduce infantmortality and provided timely surgeries for children withthyroid cancer and leukemia. He urged the audience touse its creativity and fuel its imagination as to the dramat-ic improvements that could still be achieved. The con-ference received substantial coverage in the Chicago Sun-Times and other publications. CCRDF is grateful to Ms.Anya Mostovych, Dr. George and Maria Hrycelak, Dr.Orysia Kardoza, and the Chicago Chapters of UMANAand the Ukrainian-American Professionals Associationfor their sponsorship of this event.

Hartford, CT - On April 26, Ukrainian-Americans andenvironmental activists from across Connecticut gatheredat the State Capitol in Hartford to commemorate the 20thAnniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. The can-dle-light vigil was organized by the Council of Ukrainian-American Organizations of Greater Hartford.

Among the featured speakers was newly-ordained Eparch of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdioceseof Stamford, the Most Reverend Paul ChomnyckyO.S.B.M., and Orest Dubno, the former Commisioner ofRevenue for the State of Connecticut and formerChairman of the Board for CCRDF. Mr. Dubno acknowl-edged the important contributions of many donors fromacross Connecticut who have helped CCRDF to financehospital development projects in Kyiv, Lviv, Odessa,Rivne, and Ivano-Frankivsk. He especially thanked theUkrainian National Home of New Haven that contributed$70,000 for a neonatal intensive care unit in Ivano-Frankivsk.

The current President of the Hartford ChapterJulie Nesteruk thanked all those who helped to organizethe 20th Anniversary vigil, including Lana Babij, IreneOleksiak, Ihor Stasiuk, Nadia Haftkowycz, Ihor Rudko,Natalie Pollock, Inna Stachiw, Halyna Shulewsky, HalynaDumanska, Anna Pokora and Marta Derhak. She alsothanked the Ukrainian National Women’s League ofAmerica and the Ukrainian Women’s Organization of theFour Freedoms for their active participation.

CONNECTICUT COALITION MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARYCitizens Gather in Hartford to Remember the Victims of Chornobyl

Markian Bojko and Christina Uzdejczuk look on asAreta Bojko lights the ceremonial candle at the vigilhonoring the victims and survivors of the Chornobyl

nuclear disaster. (Photo by Borys Krupa)

8

Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund, USA Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund, UKR272 Old Short Hills Rd., Short Hills, NJ 07078 vul. Khreshchatyk 25, #28, Kyiv, Ukraine 01001tel: 973-376-5140 fax: 973-376-4988 tel: + 044.494.1535 fax: + 044.494.1536e-mail: info@childrenofchornobyl.org www.childrenofchornobyl.org e-mail: info-ua@childrenofchornobyl.org

Board of Directors, USA Executive Staff Board of Directors, UKR Ukraine OfficeDr. Zenon Matkiwsky, Chairman Zenon Matkiwsky, President Olena Nyzhnykevych, Chairwoman Alexander B. Kuzma, Executive Director Thomas N. Denny Valerie Burachinsky, Vice President Anatoliy Mushtuk Olya Datsenko, TreasurerOrest Fedash Tanya Fesenko Vena, Financial Officer Youri Nyzhnykevych Evgeniya Medvedenko, AdministratorMyron Holubiak Nadia Matkiwsky, Administrator Alexandra Perry Vika Pavlotska, VolunteerNadia Matkiwsky Alexa J. Milanytch, Director of Procurement Michael Perry Marta Stecyk, Program Coordinator Leonard Mazur Lyudmila Rabij Vera Tkachuk, VolunteerJoseph A. Vena Editorial Staff Myron Rabij Maryana Voronovich, Orphanage CoordinatorMelanne Verveer Alexa J. Milanytch, Editor-in-Chief Jed Sunden

Alexander Kuzma, Contributing Editor Lisa Milanytch, Contributing Editor

HARRIMAN INSTITUTE COMMEMORATESCHORNOBYL WITH CONFERENCE

New York City – On April 25, the Harriman Institute atColumbia University held a conference titled,“Commemoration of the Chornobyl Disaster: The HumanExperience 20 Years Later.” Speakers presented theirresearch and individual experiences on the impact of thedisaster, covering the reaction to the Chornobyl tragedyfrom diplomatic, scientific, humanitarian, artistic, andacademic perspectives. Professor Mark Von Hagen,Director of the Ukrainian Studies Program at ColumbiaUniversity, opened the conference by defining Chornobylas a tragedy that “forever changed the fate of the SovietUnion from a pre- to a post-Chornobyl society, whichreminded its citizens of the dishonesty of the Soviet sys-tem and ultimately led to the break-up of the USSR.” Hiswords echoed in the testimonies that followed.

The scientific panel included research by threerenowned medical experts. The late Dr. Basil V. Worgul,a professor of radiation biology at the Department ofOphthalmology and Radiology at Columbia, in conjunc-tion with the Ukrainian American Chernobyl OcularStudy, studied the development of cataracts in the “liq-uidator population” in a number of Ukrainian cities. Hisfindings revealed a more rapid development of a specifictype of cataract that forms in the back of the eye. Thesecataracts, whose placement is indicative of exposure toradiation, were common among the youngest liquidators.Dr. William Novick, Founder of the InternationalChildren’s Heart Foundation, spoke about a significanttrend that he observed during his frequent humanitariantrips to Ukraine and Belarus, where he operated on infantswith cardiac birth defects. Together with the AmosovCenter of Cardiovascular Surgery in Kyiv, Dr. Novickand his team identified a one hundred percent increase inpatients with two particular types of heart conditions fol-lowing 1986, when the number of cases of Ebstein’sanomaly and multiple ventricular septal defects inUkraine grew from 3 to 4 a year to an average of 8 to 10.Dr. Daniel Branovan of the New York Eye and EarInfirmary informed the audience of an increase in thyroidcancer in the New York Metropolitan Area, and connect-ed the increase of cancer with the arrival of 400,000Eastern European immigrants to the tri-state area. Henoted that thyroid cancer can be easily treated and thatmortality rates are low, but stressed that people who wereadults in 1986 are only now beginning to develop thyroidcancer due to the prolonged latency period of the disease.

Lisa Milanytch from CCRDF and Sherrie

Douglas from the Chernobyl Children’s ProjectInternational (CCPI) presented their experiences ashumanitarian aid workers in Ukraine and Belarus, respec-tively. Ms. Milanytch noted the undisputed effects ofChornobyl, such as an eightyfold increase in thyroid can-cer among children, and increases in cases of chromo-some damage, such as a fourfold increase in cases ofspina bifida. She outlined the programs that CCRDF hasestablished in the pediatric fields of medicine and theorganization’s commitment to training physicians andproviding prenatal care to pregnant women. SherrieDouglas’ slide show touched the hearts of her audiencewith graphic images of children whom she encountered inCCPI’s orphanages who suffer from a variety of physicaldisabilities and mental illnesses. Ms. Douglas mentionedthat CCPI’s efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Belarusare hindered by the tense political situation in the smallformer Soviet country. Both women urged the audienceto spread awareness of the Chornobyl tragedy, and peti-tioned the World Health Organization to recognize morethan just thyroid cancer and psychological trauma asresults of radiation exposure.

The Chornobyl tragedy also captured the imagi-nation of the artistic community, including author IreneZabytko who read excerpts from her book, The SkyUnwashed. Based on the reality of returning refugees totheir hometowns in the exclusion zone around Chornobyl,the fictional tale follows one family as they endure theimmediate and lasting effects of the nuclear tragedy.

Following a screening of the “Chernobyl Heart”documentary, Sherrie Douglas and Dr. Novick moderat-ed a discussion about the catastrophe’s effect on humanhealth and recovery. Attendees of the conference wereparticularly concerned with the inaccurate statistics andtrivialization of the widespread effects of radiation expo-sure by offical organizations such as the World HealthOrganization, the International Atomic Energy Agency,the United Nations, and other governing bodies.

To close the conference, Mykola Riabchuk fromthe Kyiv-Mohyla Academy urged the international com-munity to help Ukraine in its efforts to rebuild the sar-cophagus and to find alternative sources of energy. Mr.Riabchuk examined the role of Chornobyl in its contribu-tion to a lingering mistrust of Moscow politicians byUkrainians and native Russians alike. He stressed thatwhen studying the human experience of the Chornobylnuclear disaster, the “emphasis should be on the humandimension, not only on statistics.” The global communi-ty has mourned for twenty years and should continue toremember Chornobyl, but for now, let’s focus on theefforts towards a better future for Chornobyl survivors.

U.S. GOVERNMENT DELEGATIONINVITES UKRAINIAN DOCTORS TO

MASTERS IN PEDIATRICS CONFERENCE

On December 1-2, 2005, a congressional delega-tion from the United States traveled to Ukraine to observethe pediatric health practices in several Ukrainian hospi-tals. The delegation included Under Secretary of State forDemocracy and Global Affairs Dr. Paula Dobriansky,Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-R), Chairman ofPediatrics at the Miller School of Medicine Dr. StevenLipshultz, CCRDF Founders Dr. Zenon and NadiaMatkiwsky and Executive Director Alexander Kuzma,Chief Administrative Officer of the CommunityOnclology Alliance Diane Kube, and President ofMothers and Women Against Repression for Cuba SylviaIriondo. During a meeting with the First Lady of UkraineKateryna Yushchenko and directors of Ukraine 3000Foundation, President Viktor Yushchenko surprised thedelegation with a visit and expressed his gratitude to thedelegation for its initiative in helping Ukraine rebuild itsmedical system. He underlined the importance of thework that CCRDF is doing, and stated that much remainsto be done. As the meeting continued, the delegation hadopportunities to discuss issues such as physicianexchange programs, telemedicine, consultation on sys-tems and facilities improvements, and research to specif-ically assess the state of radiation exposure in childrenfrom Choronbyl. The purpose of this educational discus-sion was to develop the best long-term strategies for theimprovement of pediatric health care in Ukraine.

At the request of Mrs. Yushchenko, Dr. StevenLipshultz invited six physicians from Ukraine to partici-pate in the Masters in Pediatrics Conference in Belharbor,Florida, for a week in January 2006. Dr. Lipshultz stated,“We are very passionate about what we do (and) our vis-itors’ commitment to give life where it would not be istruly inspiring.” The six physicians who attended theconference were from onoclogy and hemotology hospi-tals, and cardiac surgery centers located in Kyiv and Lviv:Dr. Wasyl Lazoryshynets, Dr. Grygoriy Klymnyuk, Dr.Iryna Avramenko, Dr. Igor Mokryk, Dr. Svitlana Donska,and Dr. Zoryana Kizyma. Following lectures by world-renowned specialists in the fields of pediatric onclology,hemotology, and infant cardiac surgery, the physicianstoured the the University of Miami Miller Medical Centerwith Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother,Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. The exposure gave thephysicians a chance to see first hand the daily workings ofpediatric care in the U.S., and provided them with infor-mation and ideas to bring back with them to their ownhospitals in Ukraine.

At the conclusion of their tour, a press confer-ence took place at the Miami Miller Medical Center,where Congressmen Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balartstressed the importance of a medical coalition betweenMiami and Kyiv. Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky emphasized thecritical needs of neonates in Ukraine, and called for addi-tional physician exchange programs, known in the U.S. as“continuing medical education.” This would giveUkrainian physicians a continuous renewal of knowledgeconcerning the technological areas and new treatmentsand protocals in hemotology, oncology and cardiac sur-gery.

In a letter later received by CCRDF, Dr. Donskaspoke about her experience and thanked her hosts, “Wegreatly need advisors and knowledge, so I hope this isonly the first step in a long relationship of sharing knowl-edge. Perhaps we can also provide some knowledge toyou. Many thanks.” Dr. Mokryk talked about the urgentneed for more resources, “We hardly manage to treat onethird of the children who need surgery, so this collabora-tion is very important.” Overall, the doctor-to-doctorexchange, supported by the President of the University ofMiami Miller Medical Center, served as a successfulmodel for the “From Hospital to Hospital” program thatUkraine 3000 is developing with its advisor, CCRDF.

Famed electronic music pioneers ThieveryCorporation have teamed up with Mondano(“world citizen”), a grass-roots nonprofit group inWashington, DC. The joint CHERNOBYL::20(C20) is a unique collaboration bringing photog-raphers and musicians together to focus attentionon the Chernobyl disaster’s continuing conse-quences.

Thievery Corporation has just released a new sin-gle, “The Passing Stars,” exclusively on iTunes.The proceeds will help charities in the regionsmost affected by Chernobyl. The track is ahaunting, moody gem with the late Pam Bricker’sunmistakable voice. Along with the single comesa digital booklet of select photos from the C20photo exhibition, which takes a humanistic viewof the life after Chernobyl through the eyes ofsome of the world’s top photographers.

And that’s just for starters. Later this year, a full-length benefit CD compilation will be released,featuring music donated by international record-ing artists and a special slideshow of C20 images.

The CHERNOBYL::20 participating charities are: Chernobyl Children’s Project International Children of Chornobyl Relief and DevelopmentFund

For more info and photos visit 222.C-20.org