About Us / Letter From The President

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund was founded in response to the urgent need of Chornobyl’s victims, especially the children of Ukraine. Twenty years following the Chornobyl catastrophe, that need has not diminished, but instead, has grown more urgent. As Ukraine’s population continues to decrease, we must work harder to save children’s lives and protect the country’s future.

In November of 1989, during our first visit to Ukraine since our departure as children, my wife Nadia and I were appalled to see a health care system whose medical technologies and practices were 70 years behind the Western world. I was struck by the emptiness of the hospitals and the lack of essential supplies and medications. In particular, I noted that parents and children throughout Ukraine were in a state of despair. In response to their critical needs, we organized humanitarian airlifts and hospital partnership programs. The pleas we sent to major corporations, pharmaceutical companies and individuals were met with an overwhelming response. In the past 16 years, your support has enabled the Fund to deliver over $55 million dollars worth of medical aid to Ukraine.

From its inception, the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund vowed to dedicate its efforts to saving the lives of children. Consequently, our programs focus on the pediatric fields of cancer treatment, endocrinology, prenatal and neonatal intensive care, and the early diagnosis and correction of congenital heart defects. Our goal is to provide quality assistance to Ukraine’s citizens and the physicians who care for them. The aid delivered by the Fund comes primarily in the form of medical technology and priority supplies, the organization of physician training programs and the translation and publication of current medical literature.

The Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund’s medical programs are designed to treat the maximum number of children within our available budget. For instance, the same amount of money that it costs to bring one child to the United States for treatment can cover the cost of a key piece of medical equipment that will effectively diagnose and treat hundreds of children in Ukraine. Considering the Fund’s limited resources, the latter approach is far preferable and it has allowed the Fund to make the best use of our donors’ contributions.

All of us at the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund feel an obligation to continue its medical programs because the organization’s efforts make a positive difference in children’s lives. In the eleven neonatology centers where we have supplied substantial aid, the infant mortality was reduced significantly, in some cases by as much as 45-80%. Until such time as Ukrainian hospitals can provide for their own needs and become self-sufficient, the Fund will continue to fulfill a critical role, creating a higher standard of care, stimulating local charitable initiatives, and supplying health care providers with the tools they need to save children’s lives.

All of our successes would not be possible without the enormous help and generosity of our volunteers and donors. I truly appreciate the people who have entrusted us with this task, and who continue to support us because without them, CCRDF could not exist. In particular, I thank the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Chapters and all the volunteers for their persistent and determined enthusiasm to help the children of Ukraine. I want to impress upon you the importance of your gifts and to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to maximize the value of your donations.

Fortunately, Ukraine’s newfound freedom has allowed many of our donors to travel to our partner hospitals where they have seen first-hand the impact of their donations. As Ukraine’s Olympic champion Viktor Petrenko told the audience during our Viktory for Kids gala fundraiser in October of 2003, “Your money goes to the right place and you are working with the right people.” We are humbled by Viktor’s praise and I hope that through this letter, I have conveyed my gratitude for your support.

Our greatest reward is to see a healthy child, smiling and full of life, knowing that just a few months earlier that same child was in a hopeless state, on the verge of a terminal stage of a deadly illness. I have seen so many of these children, and they inspire me to continue my work in Ukraine. On my first trip in 1989, I promised that I would do my best to help. Your generosity has enabled the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund to keep its promises, and we are grateful for your continuing support to bring new hope and healing to Ukraine’s children and their families.

Zenon Matkiwsky

President