Chernobyl necklace

A Chernobyl necklace is a horizontal scar at the base of the throat which results from surgery to remove a thyroid cancer caused by fallout from a nuclear accident.[1][2][3][4] The scar has come to be seen as one of the most graphic demonstrations of the impact of the Chernobyl disaster.

The term takes its name from the increased rate of thyroid cancer after the Chernobyl disaster. The scar has also been referred as the Belarus necklace[5] or the Belarusian Necklace, in reference to the large number of thyroid cancer occurrences in the nation caused by the nuclear fallout from neighboring Ukraine. The use of the word necklace indicates its visual resemblance to the horizontal scar around the neck, but also contrasts the negative connotations of the scar with the beauty of an actual necklace.[6]

  1. ^ Miller, G. Tyler; Spoolman, Scott (2008). Living In The Environment. Belmont, Ontario: Brooks/Cole. p. 390. ISBN 978-0-495-55671-8.
  2. ^ Welner, Michael; Page, Jonathan (2013). "Disaster Psychiatry". In Kollek, Daniel (ed.). Disaster Preparedness for Healthcare Facilities. People's Medical Publishing House. pp. 469–499. ISBN 978-1-60795-255-8.
  3. ^ Alexis-Martin, Becky (30 June 2015). "The Chernobyl necklace: the psychosocial experiences of female radiation emergency survivors". Belgeo (Belgian Journal of Geography). 2015 (1). doi:10.4000/belgeo.15875. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  4. ^ Kronik, Aleksandr A.; Akhmerov, Rashad A.; Speckhard, Anne (December 1999). "Trauma and disaster as life disrupters: A model of computer-assisted psychotherapy applied to adolescent victims of the Chernobyl disaster". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 30 (6): 586–599. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.30.6.586.
  5. ^ Bulisova, Gabriela (2005). "Chernobyl Revisited". Ukraine. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  6. ^ Millar, Sarah (25 March 2011). "A Chernobyl scientist recalls her years spent at the plant". Toronto Star.