We hope you will find this site interesting and informative. We endeavour to promote awareness of issues surrounding the Chernobyl disaster, in particular with regard to children.

Many organisations have completed research, or are involved in ongoing research about the effects the radioactive contamination has had on health, social well-being and also the economy of affected nations. However, not all researchers are independent and great care has to be taken when quoting ‘the facts’. To complicate the problem, it is extremely difficult to separate the direct health consequences, both physical and mental from social and economic consequences and conflicting reports appear and inevitable argument follows.

Media reports often create confusion and sometimes alarm – what is the truth?. For example:

2000: A UK television channel mentions a study by Swedish scientists, which shows that Chernobyl was the likely explanation for 849 cancer cases in Northern Sweden – the programme then stated the findings are disputed by the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority.
1 May 2005: A UK Sunday newspaper mentions that ‘the Tartan Army’ is being warned about traveling to Belarus because of worries about another explosion in Chernobyl. It mentions a football fan who paid £300 for flights and is concerned about the validity of his travel insurance should he be affected by radiation.
26 May 2005: A UK tabloid quotes a scientist whose research found that the disaster has spawned a generation of mutant, super brainy children.
5 September 2005: A Greenpeace Press Release strongly disputes the conclusion of the IAEA ‘Chernobyl Legacy’ report, which allegedly states that only 50 deaths can be directly attributed to radiation from the disaster, accusing them of whitewashing the impact of Chernobyl.
7 September 2005: A local UK paper prints a quote stating that the Chernobyl impact was much smaller than could have been predicted and that the danger of radiation has largely disappeared.

Based on CCLL volunteers own experiences working with Chernobyl children in the UK and their involvement and work with their families and Belarusian communities, we believe the health, social and economic consequences of Chernobyl are very real and will continue to be so for many years to come. The consequences of the Chernobyl accident have not gone away, but the level of support for the contaminated areas, both national and international has declined. This is a great concern and one voiced by CORE, a Belarusian organisation working with communities in the contaminated areas. www.core-chernobyl.org/eng

Then there are the contaminated mushrooms …see The Effects Today.

We have identified web sites that appear to provide reliable information and these can be found on the Links page.

Chernobyl Children Life Line also works on many projects within Belarus to assist and support children, their families and communities. www.chernobylchildlifeline.org

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