People that where exposed to radioactivity at the time of the accident or fell victim in the aftermath of the catastrophic event are treated here at the RCRM in Kiev. Some patients hail from the contaminated regions, some are off-springs from emergency workers sent to the Chernobyl region for clean up duty after the accident. And others were exposed to radioactivity through contaminated water and food.
There is also a RCRM in Minsk, Belarus, as that country suffered the greatest portion of the nuclear fallout. 70% of the radioactive particles emitted by Chernobyl reactor during the accident ended in Belarusian territory, specifically in the Gomel region. I inquired as to how closely those two Radiation Centers were collaborating with each other. “Not at all” was the surprising answer. But the RCRM in Kiev was exchanging data and information with its counterpart in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in an effort to treat and heal their radiated patients.
Sasha, 14 months old
Sasha is from the Khmelnycky oblast and has been at the hospital for 6 months. He first received treatment when he started walking funny and was unable to pass urine. He was diagnosed with malignant tumors on the bladder and large intestine which had just been successfully removed. According to Dr. Klymniuk, Sasha was recouperating well. 95% of the tumors had been removed, as planned. However, there were minor complications in fluid retention, which made it hard for the child to walk, but that condition should wane within a few days.
These children were staying at the outpatient housing accomodations, which were recently built by McDonld’s and the Ukraine 3000 project (the First Lady’s charity). The little girl with the infectious smile was Anyuta (nickname for Anna). She was a budle of energy and had all the kids engaged and entertained. She lit up the room with her smile like i had never experienced. I will always remember her.
Anyuta had also undergone a thyroid procedure.
