Five Russian children with retinoblastoma – cancer of the retina, need urgent treatment in a clinic in Lausanne, arrived on Wednesday in Switzerland in the framework of the humanitarian action initiated by the Embassy in Moscow in cooperation with the Ministry of foreign Affairs. On the tarmac at the international airport Cointrin children met with Swiss diplomats and journalists of the two countries, including a TASS correspondent.
"Welcome to Switzerland. We are very happy" – said in Russian, welcoming the young Russians and their parents at the gangway, the Swiss Ambassador to the Geneva Conference on disarmament, Felix Baumann. He asked how was the flight. The reply was: "Thanks".
"I’m glad this special flight took place at a time when no regular flights from Russia to Switzerland. This gave the opportunity to children from Russia to come for the passage of emergency medical treatment, stated Baumann in conversation with the correspondent of TASS. – The current situation is unique and challenging, but the humanitarian tradition of Switzerland allowed to perform this operation".
Because the flights are cancelled because of the pandemic coronavirus, patients were taken to Geneva by the plane of a private airline. Costs assumed leader of the international Olympic movement, the famous French sportsman, winner of the winter Olympics of 1968 in three types of ski competition, Jean-Claude Killy. He paid and current flight and a special flight that takes 8 may to Switzerland five Russian guys – they also required periodically to undergo therapy at the eye clinic of Lausanne, Jules-Gonen.
In this hospital works Professor Francis Munie, developed a method that allows you to influence the tumor while preserving the patient’s eyes. Critical speed of treatment, as retinoblastoma is developing rapidly. Threatened not only the eyes but also the life of a child. The suspension of regular flights between Russia and Switzerland put children in need of treatment, and their parents in a deadlock. Thanks to the Embassy of Switzerland in Russia, managed to organize the current trip. The following is scheduled for may 8, and the third in June. It is assumed that the treatment will have 16 children.
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"My son Egor treated in Lausanne for a year. Flew to the Professor Munie every month", – told trend. TASS a resident of Krasnoyarsk Kateryna Vladimirova. – Still can’t believe we’re here. In the city we did the eyes and sent to the Professor, he said he had a relapse. It’s very scary, because the tumor can grow rapidly". Meanwhile, the flight to Switzerland was cancelled, and to get to Lausanne became impossible. Katherine wrote in mid-April letter to the Ambassador of Switzerland in Russia, Yves Rossier asking for��och to arrange a visit. "it is Difficult to believe, but within 30 minutes after my email I got a call from the Embassy and announced that he had received the letter and will do something to solve the issue. Said that not only Yegor is being treated in Lausanne, there are other children-patients from Russia, – said the Agency interlocutor. – I am infinitely grateful to the Ambassador of Switzerland and his team for being promptly brought us here. Grateful to all the kind people who organized this trip".
In addition to the staff of the Swiss Embassy participated in the fate of young patients was taken by employees of Geneva airport and the local police who met flight from Moscow, and military of Switzerland, which delivered the Russians from Geneva to Lausanne on a comfortable bus.
The current humanitarian operation began on 4 April when the Swiss Embassy helped with the departure of the Confederation three-year-old Russian of Bashkortostan, suffering from retinoblastoma. Parents and a little Tair flew a special flight from Moscow to Paris, and then moved by bus to Lausanne. The Embassy reported that it is actively seeking sponsors for these humanitarian trips in July and August, as commercial flights by this time may not yet resume. The Embassy has noticed that families in need of treatment of children with a modest income and are often living thousands of kilometers from Moscow, "will not be able to Finance such flights".
