Cancer patients 'not welcome' in Russian neighbourhood

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The children were being treated at the nearby Moscow's Dmitry Rogachev Pediatric Centre
  • Author, Bernadette McCague and Yaroslava Kiryukhina
  • Role, 大象传媒 UGC and Social News 大象传媒 Monitoring, Moscow

A bid by some Moscow residents to have young cancer patients removed from their neighbourhood has caused a stir on social media in Russia.

a charity co-ordinator says that her neighbours set up a petition to stop children who were being treated for cancer at the local living in their apartment block.

The residents described cancer as a contagious airborne disease and said that there was "a hotbed of infection" under their roof.

On reading about this, many doctors were quick to debunk their theories.

"There is no research in the world that confirms that cancer is infectious in any country in the world."

Posting on the popular messaging service, Telegram, "This is a story about absolute evil that is much closer to anyone than we are accustomed to think."

Russian comedians Vovan and Lexus got in on the act by calling the petition organiser Elena Allina

Image source, Moskva 24

Image caption, Local resident Elena Allina is said to have started the petition

During their conversation, they found out that Elena discovered her theory about cancer via a TV programme on Russian Defence Ministry-owned TV channel Zvezda.

putting the blame on the "garbage" she watched on TV.

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