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EastEnders star visits tsunami orphans

Former 'EastEnders' star Kim Medcalf has flown out to Thailand to visit children who were orphaned in the 2004 tsunami.
1 of 1 Medcalf - Visiting tsunami orphans in Thailand
Medcalf - Visiting tsunami orphans in Thailand

The actress who temporarily took over the role of Sam Mitchell from Danniella Westbrook between 2001 and 2005, was invited to mark the fifth anniversary of the disaster.

Speaking to The Sun, Medcalf, who is 16 weeks pregnant with her first child: "As a mother-to-be, it's particularly upsetting and emotional to hear what happened to them.

"No child should be deprived of their innocence and forced to grow up before their time.

"You can see the pain is still evident beneath the surface when they talk about what happened. For us, Christmas is about decorating the tree and all the trimmings, but for the victims of the tsunami, it serves as a poignant reminder of everything they have lost.

"It's important it doesn't become just a memory. It still affects lives today."

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