New Forest doctor Michael Griksaitis helps evacuate cancer-stricken children from Ukraine

A NEW Forest doctor has been praised by Boris Johnson for leading a mercy mission to fly 21 child cancer patients from Ukraine to Britain for treatment.

Dr Michael Griksaitis, a consultant paediatrician, said his team from University Hospital Southampton had felt "privileged and honoured" to help the youngsters.

The children were in Ukrainian hospitals when Russia launched its invasion. The St Jude’s charity managed to get them to the Polish border, with the terrified youngsters spending every night in a bomb shelter.

When they reached Poland the nine-strong group of doctors, nurses and technicians from Southampton Children’s Hospital paediatric critical care teams took over, bringing them back to Britain on Sunday.

Dr Griksaitis, who lives in the Forest, said the NHS workers had been “overwhelmed by the human tragedy on the ground in Ukraine”, saying: “This has been the most amazing and emotional experience the team and I have ever had.

“The families were so incredibly grateful and the stories they told us were so horrific. We were just so pleased to do something to help and delighted it has all gone so well so far.

“But I am acutely aware that there are so many other people who have been left behind to suffer the ongoing trauma this war is causing.”

Speaking on TV, he told how some of the families had cried “tears of joy” when they touched down in Britain.

He said: "They started off obviously afraid. Some of the stories of what these children had been through – I can't even begin to imagine."

He said as his team on the plane started to care for the children – some critically ill – they “began to smile”.

Their mission was praised by the Prime Minister who said: “This vital lifesaving medical care is another important step in our support for the people of Ukraine and their resistance.

"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 UK and we will continue to do all we can to support them as they continue their critical treatment here."

Health secretary Sajid Javid said: "I am proud that the UK is offering lifesaving medical care to these Ukrainian children."

The children were last night undergoing assessments before being sent to hospitals around the country.