Clonmel woman appeals to world leaders to pull back from war
Adi Roche relieved that lifesaving cardiac mission to Ukraine was completed as tensions rise
The Clonmel founder of Chernobyl Children International, Adi Roche, has made an impassioned plea to world leaders to use every diplomatic avenue available to avert a catastrophic war in the region.
Adi Roche, whose organisation just completed a lifesaving mission to the area last weekend, said war would be unconscionable.
Over 30 lifesaving heart surgeries were carried out on children in the Chernobyl area by a team assembled by the Clonmel woman.
Adi, who grew up in Western Park and went to the Presentation Secondary School in Clonmel, appealed to leaders to pull back from the brink of a war by using every tool of negotiation possible to avert a humanitarian disaster.
DISASTER
“War would be a disaster beyond anything our minds could possibly imagine,” said Adi Roche, who six years ago addressed world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly to mark the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
She was speaking after a team of surgeons who went to the area to carry out life saving heart surgery returned safely from the region. The vital cardiac mission was brought forward a couple of months because of the rising tensions in the area.
It involved a team of international surgeons who delivered life saving operations on babies and children in Ukraine.
operation valentine
Adi said CCI made a calculated decision to bring the mission forward to ensure the lives of over thirty children were saved.
The mission helped children who were suffering from a range of heart defects, including the condition “Chernobyl Heart” and has been named the “Operation Valentine” as it was concluded on the weekend before Valentine’s Day.
Adi Roche, who was born and raised in Clonmel, said it was a relief to see the team arrive home safely as there were risks involved in the mission as the atmosphere in Ukraine was getting more tense with troops massing along Ukrainian borders.
SAFETY
However, the CCI team assessed the situation and concluded that it was extremely important to continue the work that has been ongoing in Ukraine for the past 20 years.
“The safety of our team is of the utmost importance to us, however, we could not turn our backs on the children who so desperately needed these operations as they cannot live with their condition, but would die with it, were it not for our intervention.
“Our cardiac team decided to once again run the gauntlet to deliver these life saving operations to children who urgently need our help,” said Adi Roche.
World-renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr William Novick, was the leader of the mission.
UKRAINE
“History has a habit of repeating itself, but I didn’t expect the repetition so quickly. Once again we find the threat of conflict descending upon Ukraine. We remain focused on our mission, and thankfully, the operations are being carried out as normal for now. It is thanks to Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International and Irish donations that we can perform these lifesaving surgeries,” said Dr Novick.