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A doctor who led a medical team that took 21 Ukrainian children with cancer to the U.K. for treatment after they fled the Russian invasion in their country has spoken of their sense of relief.
Dr. Michael Griksaitis, consultant pediatrician in intensive care at University Hospital Southampton, told U.K. broadcaster Sky News: "When they got on that plane, they were scared, they were afraid. As the plane took off, you almost saw a sense of relief that these families knew that their children were going to get treatment and that they had a chance of surviving their cancer.
"And actually on landing, children that initially wouldn't make eye contact and were terrified were high-fiving, playing, smiling."
Griksaitis said: "We were just privileged and honored to be able to help get them out of the country and get them to England and the U.K. where we could provide ongoing support for them because without this ongoing care they would die."
Sky News reported that the children range in age from babies to teenagers, with some said to be critically ill.
The pediatrician was part of an operation that was a collaboration between the U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) and Polish authorities and clinicians.
Griksaitis continued: "Some of the stories of what these children had been through—I can't even begin to imagine. To have that on its own is bad enough for anyone—but to have that whilst having treatment for cancer, it was just astronomical."
The operation comes as part of a response by the U.K. to a call for help from Poland as children have been arriving there from Ukraine.
The non-profit American pediatric disease specialists, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, helped the U.K. arrange an urgent flight for the children and their immediate families from Poland.
The children will now be assessed to enable doctors to understand their specific health needs. From there they will be sent to specific hospitals best equipped to address these needs where they will be treated by the NHS for free.
U.K. Prime Minister, Boris Johnston, said in a statement: "The sickening suffering of innocent civilians in Ukraine is truly horrific. This vital lifesaving medical care is another important step in our support for the people of Ukraine and their resistance against Putin's illegal invasion.
"I am hugely grateful to our fantastic NHS staff as well as our partners, including our Polish friends, for their support in bringing these children to the U.K. and we will continue to do all we can to support them as they continue their critical treatment here."
