Galway Rose joins fellow Tralee finalists on emotional trip to Belarus
The current Galway Rose joined 17 of her fellow Roses on an emotional journey to Belarus to see for themselves the aftermath of the nuclear disaster there that still shatters the lives of little children 30 years on.
Rosie Burke travelled to Belarus in the company of Adi Roche and Chernobyl Children International.
The 23 year old vet from Ballindereen and her fellow Roses – including the 2016 Rose of Tralee Maggie McEldowney – stayed in the Vesnova Children's Mental Asylum where 170 of the young victims of the Chernobyl nuclear tragedy have been institutionalized.
The orphanage deals with children who are being directly affected by the harsh nuclear environment in the Ukrainian border town.
Many of the children are still being born with horrific deformities and other illnesses directly or indirectly linked to the radiation from the nuclear accident.
The Roses spent their time working with the worst affected children giving them one to one care and attention which they don't get from one end of the day to the other. They spent their time undertaking day-to-day activities in the institution, including feeding and playing with the children along with trying to bring a little fun and laughter into their lives.
“This is the fifth year that the Rose of Tralee Festival have sent a delegation of volunteers over to Belarus and they bring such an energy and hearts full of love to the unfortunate children of Vesnova,” said CEO of Chernobyl Children Adi Roche.
"We will never cease to be inspired by the generosity and kindness of Roses who reach out and touch the hearts of the forgotten children in the Chernobyl regions.
“They are such wonderful ambassadors for their families, their communities and for the Rose of Tralee Festival also,” she added.
Over almost 28 years, CCI has delivered €96.5m in medical and humanitarian aid to the Chernobyl region.