Munster cycle to save Chernobyl child victims

HUNDREDS of children born with life-threatening heart defects as a direct result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster will be saved by a gruelling 600km charity race in Munster.

Organisers of the Tour de Munster charity cycle, led by renowned Irish cyclist Sean Kelly have confirmed that the Chernobyl Children’s Project International will be this year’s recipient of all donations made as part of the marathon trek around the province.

Now in its ninth year, the challenging four-day Tour de Munster has already raised more than e500,000 for charity since it was launched in 2001.

And while this year’s charity drive comes at a time when the country is facing an economic recession not seen since the 1980s, organisers are hopeful that another iconic image from that era will encourage people throughout the province to support the group’s latest worthy cause.

As a direct result of the 1986 nuclear reactor accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, thousands of children in the country and its neighbours are continuing to be born with a series of cardiac defects.

In Belarus, one out of every two deaths alone are due to cardiovascular disease, while children suffering from related conditions face waiting lists in the thousands if they are to receive the life-saving care they need.

While a simple operation costing just e1,000 can save these lives, due to the dearth of resources in the region countless lives are still being lost as a result of the disaster 23 years ago.

However, as part of the latest Tour de Munster, organisers are planning to raise enough funds to ensure that the loss of life can be curtailed.

The 600km Tour de Munster, which will be launched later today, will take place between Thursday, August 13, and Sunday, August 16.

Further information about the charity event, this year’s beneficiaries and how to contribute to the fundraising drive is available at www.tourdemunster.com as well as at www.chernobyl-international.com.