Fiona 'numb' after Ukraine mission
A humanitarian aid worker from Cork has described the horrors that she witnessed on a recent mission to Ukraine ahead of the 39th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
Fiona Corcoran, head of Cork-based charity The Greater Chernobyl Cause, said it was heartbreaking to witness the new horrors that have befallen many Chernobyl survivors as a result of the ongoing war with Russia.
Her mission brought her to an area called Prybirsk, just outside the Chernobyl exclusion zone, where she and her charity desperately attempted to ensure proper care for the elderly residents of a nursing home.
Speaking to the Cork Independent, Ms Corcoran shared the stories of some of those she met.
One account was that of Ukrainian soldier Maxim Martynenko who told his harrowing story about the day he instructed his comrades to use him as a human shield after being paralysed by a Russian machine gun.
“I observed his willpower as he completed a daily regime of exercises at the Rehabilitation Military Hospital in Kyiv, sitting by his side,” said Ms Corcoran.
“The combat horror accounts left me feeling numb, but Maxim's tenacity in mastering a standing aid and his wish to return to the front, fighting for his country and seeing Ukraine liberated, humbled me,” she added.
In the nursing home in Prybirsk, 30 residents, many still suffering from radiation sickness as a result of the Chernobyl disaster, had been trapped for weeks by Russian soldiers without proper food, water, or heating.
Ms Corcoran said: “I was shocked to the core to see the utter devastation.
“Many of them lost family members in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster. Two residents were among the first liquidators, sacrificing themselves to put out the reactor fire. The consequences were huge.
“The long-term victims of radiation sickness suffer from organ dysfunctions and are in constant pain,” she added.
In its efforts to help, The Greater Chernobyl Cause purchased specialised beds, mobility aids, and kitchen and sanitation equipment. The charity also acquired an ambulance to be used to transport patients to Kyiv where they can receive skilled treatment if needed.
Having been forced to seek refuge in bomb shelters during relentless Russian air attacks and shelling, Ms Corcoran was left devastated by how, as she put it, “the slaughter of the innocent leaves no one untouched in its carnage and misery”.
She recalled hearing the stories of volunteers whose task it was to gather corpses from homes, care facilities, and parks after the Russians fled Bucha and Irpin, Kyiv.
While in Ukraine, Ms Corcoran was awarded the country’s highest humanitarian award, the Order of Princess Olga from the former president of Ukraine, for her outstanding humanitarian work. She said accepted the award not just for herself, but also for all the volunteers who have selflessly given their time to the cause since the charity began
Having endured so much since the Chernobyl disaster on 26 April 1986, and now with the Russian invasion over three years ago, Ms Corcoran said that today, being strong “has become part of the society”. She explained: “People, the government, and companies have all learnt to deal with daily problems, often on their own.
“Even in areas that have been badly damaged, people make makeshift kitchens, urban gardens, and houses that are ready for blackouts by putting in backup generators, candles, and power banks.
“Small towns work together to fix up homes that were damaged by drone attacks and give people who have been forced to leave a place to stay. This way, no one is left behind. This level of endurance shows that you are ready for bad times and determined to get by with little help from others, while still being grateful for and acknowledging the support of partners,” added Ms Corcoran.
To support The Greater Chernobyl Cause, visit greaterchernobylcause.ie.