by Chris D. Hays-London HQ, U.K.
Based on the foundation of bringing four Bulgarian doctors from Sofia, Bulgaria, to London, England, in the summer of 1994, for health-care management seminars and voluntary sector training, as well as medical networking-a continuing relationship was forged at this time with several specialist units, within major hospitals, around the M25 orbital and slightly beyond.
As a result of a successful 12-day stay by these Bulgarian doctors and partly as a result of continued networking IRFF's name, with senior medical consultants, nurses and house staff, at these specialist units and hospitals, I am happy to report that:
* Some staff at the General Infirmary, Leeds, will now begin an "exchange" program of working medical papers, journals, clinical research and manuscripts, with their counterparts in the former Soviet Union, centering on Ukraine. This was accomplished as a result of marketing our IRFF Long Distance Child Sponsorship Scheme to them over the course of one year. The Lymphoma & Leukemia Unit there is keen to begin "bridge-building" development and networking with Ukrainian doctors.
* Tenured medical consultants and senior nurses also at the General Infirmary, Leeds are being short-listed now, a maximum number of three, to participate in IRFF's "Mobile Professionals" scheme, come this summer in July. Through normal nurturing of VIPs, I have progressed some relationships and now these individuals would like to share their advanced and specialist know-how with counterparts in Ukraine, dealing with the ongoing situation of Chernobyl.