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The Chornobyl Tragedy

The year is 1986. The date is April 26. The time is 1:23 am. The village of Chornobyl, Ukraine is sleeping peacefully, unaware of the radiation spreading over her, the radiation that would poison her plants, and cause suffering and even death to her children.

The worst nuclear disaster in history occurred when Soviet Union Reactor Number Four exploded, sending radiation, many times that of Hiroshima, into the soil used by surrounding farms, the water drunk all over Ukraine, and the air breathed all across eastern Europe.

The effects of this explosion could have been ebbed, were it not for the carelessness and arrogance of Soviet Union Officials. Notice of the accident was not given until two days after its occurrence, and crucial information regarding even minimal intake of radiation was not provided until eleven days later. Lives could have been saved, but because of the government's inaction, many suffered.

Unfortunately, this catastrophe did not only affect a single generation - many are still suffering. The effects of this disaster last until today, and will exist for Ukraine's children to cope with as well. Twins Serhiy and Ira were born on June 15, 1994. When the nuclear accident occurred in 1986, their mother was 5 years old and their father was 11 years old, living near the Chornobyl area. Both parents were healthy at the time of the twins' birth. The twins were born premature at 32 weeks gestation. They have had recurrent infections and show retarded development with cerebral paralysis.

Serhiy and Ira are only two examples. Many children in this area are suffering with diseases and handicaps because of a preventable accident. They are innocent. They have done nothing wrong. They need your help. Please help us, the Tremont Walk for Chornobyl, to give them the voice, the help, the care, the love that they deserve.

Chornobyl FAQ's

Shortly after the explosion, thousands of children and adults in Ukraine and Belarus were stricken with acute radiation sickness: symptoms included vomiting, hair loss, and severe rashes. The World Health Organization reported that thyroid cancer among children living near Chornobyl rose to levels 80 times above normal. 1.2 million people continue to live on lands contaminated by "low-level" radiation, outside the 30 kilometer zone; approximately 1,800 villages are affected.

During the past decade, approximately 40,000 clean-up workers have died, mostly men in their 30's and 40's. A permanent 30 kilometer "dead-zone" was established around the power station where human habitation is forbidden.

The UN Office on Population reported that in 1994, the only two nations in Europe with negative population growth were Ukraine and Belarus. The report attributed this decline in part to increased infant mortality and adverse health conditions stemming from the Chornobyl disaster. Infant mortality in Ukraine stands at twice the European average (14 per 1,000 live births).

According to radiation health experts working for the National Academy of Sciences, most cancers that result from radiation exposure do not develop until 10-20 years after exposure. The highest incidence of cancer is expected to occur over the next 5-10 years and therefore no accurate assessment of Chornobyl's overall impact can be made until this period has expired. (United States National Academy of Sciences, BEIR-5 Report)