Adi Roche's charity sends surgeons to help Ukrainian newborns with 'ticking timebombs'

Zlata underwent lifesaving surgery in Ukraine thanks to CCI

Adi Roche's charity Chernobyl Children Ireland (CCI) has sent 12 paediatric surgeons to Ukraine in order to assist with life-saving surgeries for newborns in the war-torn country.

Cities across the eastern European country have been bombarded since the beginning of the Russian invasion back in February.

Regular shelling and attacks have left hospitals destroyed, caused widespread power outages and seen millions of people flee their homes.

Despite all this, the CCI say that their surgeons are "running the gauntlet" to ensure that as many babies have a chance of survival against their congenital heart defects as possible.

The crew landed in Krakow in Poland before crossing the border to Ukraine via bus into Lviv.

They have brought oxygenators along with them to help stop the flow of blood to the heart, allowing them to repair congenital heart defects.

Speaking to CCI’s team in Lviv, one mother of a critically ill young baby said: “We are in the middle of a war, feeling so alone. 

A baby receives assistance from a CCI surgeon

"The walls are shaking and the missile strikes come so often. I feared he would die, but now we have so much hope. I can now dream of seeing my baby growing up. It’s a miracle."

Dr Igor Polivinok is the Ukrainian lead for the mission, and has fled the epicentre of the war, Kharkiv, following the shelling of his home and hospital.

"Explosions can be heard in the distance, and you can’t tell how close it is. We have experienced frequent bombardment but are not distracted by it. Even throughout the war, our medical teams have continued to operate on babies and children who have been born with severe congenital heart defects, including ‘Chernobyl Heart’, as a result of radiation," he said.

CCI’s Cardiac Missions have traditionally been based in Kharkiv, however, the teams have been chased by war from East to West and have needed to relocate to Lviv, which is the last remaining safe place left where CCI can operate on the children.

Speaking from Lviv on arrival this week, the team’s lead surgeon, Dr Bill Novick remarked: "These innocent children are on the front line of two humanitarian crises – first the Chernobyl accident and now the war. 

Baby David's first ever bottle, at 4 days old

"Since our team arrived in Ukraine over the weekend, these children have put their tiny hearts in our hands and we try to make a miracle happen. The team is not deterred by the war as they know how valuable their help is."

CCI’s founder and Voluntary CEO, Adi Roche, said: "Sadly there are lives being lost because of the politics of war; not just with bombs and bullets, but also by ticking timebombs within these children’s chests."