This much I know: Adi Roche

The power of what is behind any volunteerism is a simple word called ‘service’.

My favourite motto is that our crisis is our opportunity.

I inherited a strong sense of responsibility towards others from my parents. I grew up in Clonmel and our family was always involved in everything from meals on wheels to St Vincent de Paul.

I believe hope is the most enabling gift of all and it will bring us through these dark recessionary times. Chernobyl Children International is about to bring 900 children from Belarus to the warm loving, hearts of Irish families — an example of hope turned into action.

I’ve been involved with fundraising for 33 years now — first for social justice, then the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, then Chernobyl, before becoming the full-time CEO of CCI. Charity fundraising has changed drastically in the last few years. The big black-tie balls and lunches are long gone and we are back to street collections and supermarket bag packing.

This is the best job I’ve ever had. I do what I do primarily because it gives me an extraordinary sense of fulfilment, purpose, belonging and connection.

If I could change one thing in our society it would be the begrudgery.

I do think the Irish are generous, in terms of giving to charity, and, although the recession may mean a drop in actual monies raised, it has not changed the nation’s sense of sympathy and empathy for others. CCI’s greatest wealth is our volunteers and those numbers have not dropped — we have 6,000. This is the European Year of the Volunteer and I would like to pay special tribute to them.

My interest in campaigning began way back in 1977, out of a very personal experience. My brother and his wife were living near Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania USA, expecting their second baby and I was to be godmother. I worked for Aer Lingus and visited them regularly. Suddenly there was an information blackout and I couldn’t contact them and that terrified me. Then we found out it was due to a major nuclear accident. When I realised they planned to build a nuclear reactor in Carnsore Point in Wexford, it spurred me on to campaign against it.

I do believe in God — although I sometimes curse and swear when it’s hard to see him.

The first question I would ask anyone who is considering running for the Presidency — is why are you doing it?

One of my favourite places is west Kerry. To relax, I do a lot of walking and I sing. I’m lucky that Mary Black is one of my best friends. We go walking and sing together.

One of the highlights of my career was winning the four-year battle to enable Chernobyl children to be adopted in Ireland. One of the children I brought here was a very ill six-month-old boy called Alexei. Dr Michael Early, the wonderful doctor in Temple Street, said he needed proper care and building up before he could even be operated on. My sister and her husband were amazing and took him in for a few weeks but they fell in love with him. We fought and fought for him to be adopted. Well, we won. Alexei is now my six-year-old nephew.

This year is the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl Children International. We are celebrating the power of what is possible. Over the years, we have donated €90 million of aid; 21,000 children have visited Ireland; Chernobyl Heart sends cardiac teams to the Ukraine to operate on 50 children six times a year and Irish builders have just helped us to create the first baby hospice in Belarus.

Adi Roche is founder of Chernobyl Children International, now celebrating its 25th anniversary. The charity is looking for walkers, runners or joggers to join in the Cork Mini-Marathon 25 September or run the Dublin Marathon 31 October to raise vital funds for life-saving child cardiac surgeries in the Chernobyl regions.