Fall-out survivor honoured to be named to Chernobyl charity board

A Belarusian-born survivor of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster has been appointed to the board of directors of Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International charity.

Julie Shynkarenka, a former language teacher, journalist, and entrepreneur who first volunteered with the charity, lived for many years in one of the most highly radioactive contaminated regions of Belarus.

She says her family had no idea of the seriousness of the Chernobyl disaster as it was kept totally hidden from them and remained surrounded in secrecy for many years afterwards; however, all of them have suffered from the consequences of the catastrophic explosion.