A few weeks ago, I visited a run down and ill equipped children's hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine. A volunteer surgical team funded by CCI worked alongside local medical teams to perform free heart operations.

 The first bed I stopped at when I walked into the ICU held a tiny baby boy named Bogdan. He was so small that I almost missed him -- except that all the medical equipment attached to him drew my attention to look closer.

He looked so fragile and vulnerable with his little chest heaving up and down. I could immediately see that he was in distress. The veins in his chest were enlarged, and the rapid rise and fall of his chest was unnatural. The volunteers told me that he was an abandoned baby with a poor prognosis. In fact, he had only a 10% chance of survival -- he had only about 72 hours left in this world.

Luck was on Bogdan’s side. I was accompanied by two of Ireland’s top cardiologists, Professor Mark Redmond and Dr. Paul Oslizlok. They examined Bogdan, and recommended to the team that immediate intervention was the only thing that could improve his chance of survival. Before I knew what was happening, Dr. Oslizlok and the team were gowned and scrubbing up for emergency surgery.

Bogdan was gently wrapped in a warm blanket and carried to the operating theatre where we all watched and awaited the outcome. Afterwards, the surgeons gathered us around his bed, with tentative grins and relief on their faces. “Bogdan’s chances have improved to 50%. We think he’s going to make it! He’s a plucky little one, a real fighter!”

I recalled our original mantra: Heartbeat by heartbeat, breath by precious breath. Bogdan has put his heart and hopes in the hands of our surgeons and volunteers, hoping for a miracle, the gift of life. On returning home to Ireland, I heard from the team that Bogdan is making a heroic recovery, and is now taking his bottle feed with great gusto. And with a very hope filled life ahead of him!

These sorts of miracles happen every time we are able to send, with your financial support, a volunteer cardiac team to Kharkiv.

Every year in Ukraine, over 6000 children are born with genetic cardiac disease. More than half of the children will not receive the surgery they need to survive and will die. In partnership with the International Children’s Heart Foundation, our intervention has saved the lives of hundreds of children who suffer a marked increase in cardiac birth defects since the Chernobyl disaster. Volunteers work along side local staff, teaching them the latest techniques in taking care of children with congenital heart defects.

How you can help

Your intervention is badly needed, both to save young lives now, and to help Ukraine build a sustainable children’s heart surgery program for the future. Last year, we planned to support six volunteer missions to Kharkiv, Ukraine. Sadly our fund raising fell short and two missions had to be cancelled. Watching little Bogdan come back to life only underscored for me how important it is that this work continue.

Cardiac surgery is especially dependent on modern, professional education and state of the art equipment. We have high hopes to help in this sphere as well but again, we need your help.

You can click here to make a personal donation. If you know of any businesses, corporations, or individuals who might be in a position to make a larger commitment, please write to me at adi@chernobyl-ireland.com. Together, we can make miracles happen for so many children like Bogdan!  (Here are more pictures of our "Chernobyl Heart" children of Kharkiv, Ukraine.)