Children from Ukraine are receiving cancer treatment from medics at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Medics at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital are among those caring for 21 Ukrainian children who were evacuated from their besieged homeland to England for cancer treatment.

The young people, who are now starting their treatment following their arrival in the country on Sunday night, have been assessed by NHS staff and triaged to seven hospitals across the country, including the specialist children's site on Oxford Road.

They endured a traumatic journey across Ukraine, often leaving family members behind, all while suffering life-threatening conditions.

A team of NHS doctors, nurses and technicians from Southampton and Birmingham travelled to Poland at the weekend to support the children on their journey out of the war-torn region following an urgent plea from Polish officials.

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The children and their family members landed safely and can continue on the road to recovery without the threat of shelling wrought by the Russian invasion.

Dr Rachael Barber, medical director of the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, said: “We feel privileged to be able to care for these children and offer support to their families at such a difficult time.

“There has been a determination among our staff to try to help in any way we can. We have supported the UK’s national equipment and medical supplies assistance to Ukraine, and we will now be using our clinical expertise to ensure that these children get the care they need.”

The journey from Ukraine for the children and their families was supported by medics including Dr Michael Griksaitis, consultant paediatric intensivist at Southampton Children's Hospital. He said he was overwhelmed by the