Meeting with Head of Circle of Kindness Foundation Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, how is the work going?

Head of the Circle of Kindness Foundation Archpriest Alexander Tkachenko: Five years ago, on your instruction, a foundation was established to support children with severe rare diseases. Thanks to this decision, Russian doctors have been able to save lives of tens of thousands of children across the country.

Vladimir Putin: Thank God.

Alexander Tkachenko: While carrying out the core mission of providing medicines for children, we also sought to bring the community together around them, engaging patient groups and religious organisations alike, because we understood that parents' emotional and spiritual suffering is often even greater than physical pain.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Kirill Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia has always approached the issue of helping children with profound attention, care, and pastoral concern. Last year, he performed a true miracle by presenting an icon to the parents of seriously ill children. This was the icon of the Mother of God, The Healer, historically housed at the Alekseнevsky Convent. Revered as a miracle-working icon since the 17th century, it depicts the Virgin Mary leaning over a sick boy at his bedside.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill observed that when parents learn their child's diagnosis and prognosis, they experience a depth of pain comparable to that endured by the Mother of God when the birth of her Son and His destiny were revealed to her. In response, he ordered the establishment of a special prayer service for children with severe illnesses, as well as for their parents and doctors. Since then, every year on October 1, this special prayer has been - and will continue to be - offered in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. Through this decision, His Holiness also expressed support for your executive order establishing the Circle of Kindness foundation and underscored the importance of its work.

Please accept this icon as an expression of gratitude from parents and children for the creation of the fund, and as a blessing for your work.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. Thank you.

Alexander Tkachenko: I would very much like to share the results of the foundation's five years of work. They are being pondered by doctors and by professionals engaged in supporting children with rare diseases. The results demonstrate that the foundation has not only ensured Russian children's access to innovative treatment methods, but has also given many children - whose illnesses might otherwise have deprived them of a future - a chance to live a happy, independent adult life.

To be continued.