After the nuclear blast: how events changed a life forever

HAPPY family . . . Kevin and Jill Moore with their “second daughter,” Marina

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

AFTER the tragic events at Chernobyl 30 years ago, when hundreds of people were affected by nuclear fallout from the failed reactor, Oldham’s Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline was born. Here, reporter MARINA BERRY tells how one girl’s life has been enriched by the Lifeline - and relates the emotional journey of the Oldham family who took her under their wing.

FATE steered a teenage girl affected by the catastrophic nuclear explosion at Chernobyl power station into the lives of a local couple.

Jill and Kevin Moore opened their home to Marina Bizunok 17 years ago, when the 15 year old came to Oldham for a month with Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline.

Marina says her life since she first stepped foot in their home as an “unforgettable fairytale.” And Jill and Kevin think of Marina as their second daughter, and her two children as their “Belarus grandsons.”

Marina was offered an incredible opportunity when she was chosen among a handful of Belarusian children for a much-needed break away from their radiation-contaminated homes.

The Oldham branch of the charity brings children to Oldham, where their immune systems can start to recover and battle against some of the health problems caused by living close to Chernobyl.

Speaking from her home in Belarus, 17 years after meeting her “second parents,” Marina recalled: “I remember quite a lot about my first visit, how we were on board a plane for the first time, and how I was greatly impressed by the nature in Britain - huge green fields divided by fences or bushes, and a lot of old stones the fences had been made of.

“I remember an absolutely enormous house where Jill and Kevin lived at that time. There were a great number of rooms, and a huge, real fire was burning in the living-room fireplace. Everything was ancient and unusual. I had never seen anything like it in my life. There were a lot of animals — horses and dogs, who were like members of the family, all loved and cared for.

“During my first visit we went to an adventure park, the seaside, the zoo and many other places.

“The zoo impressed me most. I had never seen so many animals and birds. I liked the flamingos and penguins, they looked so funny jumping and swimming in the water.

“I was on board a real ship for the first time as well. We visited London and saw the famous Tower Bridge. We passed Big Ben.

“I wasn’t scared to meet and see people. I visited Britain with a group of my classmates, and our teacher, who we knew very well, was our escort and interpreter. All the English people we met were kind, caring, welcoming and attentive. Jill and Kevin treated me as their second daughter.

“They were ready to show me everything that interested me. The food was always tasty but sometimes unusual for me. Practically every day we went to see something and every day was unforgettable.

“I can speak for hours about my first visit and about the benefits of it. Seventeen years have passed, but it’s still alive in my memory.

“I was a simple girl from a multi-children family from a little village in Belarus and I hadn’t seen many things in our country. Jill and Kevin invited their friends to see me and we had merry parties and were treated to delicious meals. We visited the Oldham Mayor, museums and castles..

“We visited the dentist too, and I remember how happy I was when we were given a nice toothbrush and toothpaste! We were given vitamins as well.”

With Jill and Kevin’s help, Marina has since visited England three times. She said: “Every time was just like a fairytale for me — unforgettable. When I got married in 2009, my husband, Aleksai Kushner, and I were invited to stay as guests with my second family.

“It was a memorable visit for both of us and a great wedding present from them. I will never forget their love and kindness. Now I am a mum to two boys, Pavel, who is 18 months old, and Dmitry who is five. We love showing our sons the albums of my visits to England.

“During all these 17 years we still keep in contact with our English family. We send them letters and photos and we always remember them. Thanks to them my life has changed greatly. They helped me in my studies at college and I am very grateful to them for it.

“I was happy in Britain. Jill bought me the clothes and the shoes I needed. It was a great help for our family, where there was never enough money.

“Jill and Kevin still send us cards, letters and parcels for the family. My little boys are always looking forward to them. It’s great to know that so far away there are people who love, care and think of you.

They were and are very dear to me. Without them my life wouldn’t be as bright.

“An ordinary girl from Belarus believed in a fairytale and it has come true for her.”



Marina Kushner’s heart-warming story is down to the love and compassion shown by her “English family,” Jill and Kevin Moore.

Like many host parents on which Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline depends, they opened their home, their arms and their hearts without question to the 15 year old from a foreign country.

Over the years, the couple played host to nine children from Belarus, but they formed a special bond with Marina.

Jill explained: “It was a daunting prospect, being host parents - but even more so for the parents who were sending their children to strangers in a foreign country.

“Over a month you can’t help but get very fond and attached to the children that have shared your life and home, but of all the children who stayed with us, Marina stands out.

“It’s hard to believe that it is almost 17 years since we first met her, a shy 15 year old, and now she’s married and a mother of two boys.”

It wasn’t long before Jill and Kevin had a conversation which resulted in them deciding to help Marina with her education. What seemed a small sum to them was unattainable by her family back home, and without the kindness and generosity of the couple, Marina couldn’t even have hoped for a college education.

Jill recalled: “She was always talented and artistic, and we had the pleasure of helping her through her college education and watch her grow into a confident young woman. She’s now an art teacher, and we have many samples of her work decorating our home.

“We think of her as a second daughter and her boys as our Belarus grandsons.”

Jill firmly believes that she and Kevin benefited as much from opening up their home, as did their young visitors.

She said: “Hosting children taught us a lot about the plight of people less fortunate than ourselves. It made us count our blessings and realise how fortunate we are.”

She said of the couple’s experience as host parents: “We are grateful to their parents for having the confidence in us to take care and look after them.”