3707 Turfway Court

Indianapolis, IN 46228-2095
 

  

Contact:           Michael Snyder, The Mek Group

                                                                        (317) 805-4870; (cell: 317-709-3560)

                                                                        msnyder@themekgroup.com

 

                                                                        Victor Kubik, LifeNets

                                                                        (317) 216-0802

kubik@lifenets.org

 

 

LifeNets sponsors Indiana visit of Chernobyl physician,

 

prepares multi-ton shipment of supplies to children victims

 

INDIANAPOLIS—Dr. Vasyl Pasichnyk, a Ukrainian physician recognized for his work with children victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, will arrive here September 5 to begin an eight-day visit with area physicians and pediatric specialists.  Pasichnyk will also speak locally at Park Tudor School and to other groups to help raise awareness of the continuing plight of children afflicted by radiation-related illnesses from the catastrophe.

“Dr. Pasichnyk continues to work tirelessly through his unique clinic to care for children victims largely forgotten by the world,” said Victor Kubik, president of LifeNets International.  LifeNets (www.lifenets.org), an Indianapolis-based humanitarian organization, has collected and shipped hundreds of tons of medical supplies, clothes, toys and other material to the clinic serving children victims of Chernobyl since the mid-1990s.

“Given that the first new nuclear reactor in a quarter of a century is now being considered for construction a little more than 200 miles from Indianapolis, Dr. Pasichnyk’s visit is timely in many ways,” Kubik said. 

LifeNets, which has expanded to assist needy people in Africa, Asia, South America, the Philippines and elsewhere, is currently assembling a new shipment of supplies for the Ukrainian clinic at Peine Engineering on the west side of Indianapolis.

When the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant experienced what scientists call a “positive void coefficient” more than 17 years ago, thousands of tons of radioactive debris exploded over the plains of the Ukraine, later drifting in radioactive clouds over millions of square acres throughout Europe and Asia.

A few months ago a group of Hoosiers representing LifeNets visited the actual Chernobyl reactor site as part of a trip to support Pasichnyk’s clinic.  The group included teenagers from Indiana, the first to visit the site (Chernobyl site visits in general are very rare and unusual).  Photos of the trip can be seen online at www.lifenets.org/chernobyl2003/.

People in Central Indiana desiring to contribute supplies or funds to the LifeNets Chernobyl project can contact Kubik at 317-216-0802 or kubik@lifenets.org.

 

About LifeNets International   Originally founded as a non-profit organization to help children victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, LifeNets International has grown to assist needy people around the world.  LifeNets is well-known for combining and working with existing efforts of many organizations, churches, service clubs and interested people to extend humanitarian programs (The organization has been profiled as a “Not-for-profit of Note” by the Indianapolis Business Journal).  LifeNets staff is 100% volunteer-based and no salaries are paid from funds raised for humanitarian efforts.  Hundreds of volunteers from across the United States have joined the effort through the organization’s Web site:  www.lifenets.org.

 

 

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Dr. Vasil Pasichnyk and his wife Dr. Natalia Zenchenko visit Indiana September 5-13 and connect with doctors and rehabilitation centers.  Dr. Pasichnyk was the head pediatrician in the Chernobyl area during the time of the accident and since has established unique center of rehabilitation for children. Check out our Chernobyl section on this site.