What We Do

Alexei Makes New Life in Ireland

During Christmas week both Adi Roche, founder of CCPI and Ali Hewson, the charity’s patron were visiting Belarus to deliver Christmas presents to the children of various orphanages around the country. They had just one more children’s home to visit, the one in which Alexei was being held in.

Looking into one of the cots, Adi and Ali were shocked to see Alexei’s condition. Alexei Barrett had been born with a tumour the size of a tennis ball on his face were his left eye should have been. Doctors in Belarus held very little hope for Alexei expected that he would have a short life-span.

Adi made an instant connection with Alexei “his good eye latched onto mine and in an instant, it seemed that I looked into the soul of this little baby and saw his great courage and will to live. In those moments that followed I knew he was asking for something-he was asking us to save his life, as simple as that. I don’t know exactly what happened in this brief encounter, but I knew we had to try and do something”.

And do something she did. On Christmas morning Adi went back for Alexei and brought him to Ireland for urgent medical treatment. Adi arranged for Alexei to stay with her sister and brother-in- law, Helen and Chris Barrett. Alexei had his tumour removed in an operation which lasted several hours, while Adi, Ali, Helen and Chris waited. The operation was successful and because Helen and Chris Barrett had bonded with Alexei so well, they started adoption procedures soon after.

Alexei Barrett is now a happy and healthy 11 year old boy who loves his family, has a passion for football and his life in Ireland.