Tipperary campaigner Adi Roche conferred with Honorary Doctorate from UCC

Three innocent victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, whose lives were transformed by Irish humanitarian efforts, travelled to Cork to support and honour Adi Roche, founder and Voluntary CEO of Chernobyl Children International (CCI), as she was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from NUI University College Cork (UCC) on Wednesday evening. 

Speaking about the honour, Clonmel woman Adi said:

“I humbly accept this honour not for just myself, but on behalf the victims and survivors of Chernobyl and also on behalf of our army of dedicated, selfless volunteers, our generous donors and our hardworking staff, all of whom have been the lifeblood of the unparalleled humanitarian response from Ireland to the affected areas, and the innocent child victims of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.”

“Cork has been the beating heart of our sustained humanitarian response for almost 40 years, so receiving this accolade from UCC has a deep significance”.

Joining Ms Roche for the celebration were three, now adult, victims of Chernobyl - Anna Gabriel, Raisa Carolan and Marharyta Marozova ,all of whom were abandoned to a children’s institution in Belarus as infants, suffering from a wide range of Chernobyl-related disabilities and illnesses.  

However, all three young women’s lives have been transformed thanks to the intervention of Irish humanitarian support pioneered by Adi and CCI.   Thanks to the humanitarian work of Roche and CCI, all three young women received medical care and support for their varied conditions, which has enabled them to live fulfilled and happy lives.  

For almost five decades, Adi Roche has been passionately campaigning for, and is publicly active in, issues relating to the environment, peace and social justice.  

In 1986, she 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 Chernobyl Children International (CCI).  

As Voluntary CEO, Adi has led CCI to deliver over €108million of humanitarian aid and services to the Chernobyl-affected regions and the charity is already preparing for the 40th anniversary commemorations in 2026.  

SEE ALSO: Man arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences