Page 80 - Book about Friendship and Future.Stories of Volunteers.

Ekaterina Vinogradova

Area Coach
A K Restaurants Russia LLC

The Story of My Donorship

When I was a child my mother told me that the members of
our family had a very rare blood type ‘O-‘ and that many doctors
got surprised learning that mum and dad had the same blood
type. Actually, the most rare blood type is ‘AB-‘, but according to
the blood transfusion guidelines, it was allowed to use any type of
blood for a recipient with ‘AB-‘, but one could transfuse only ‘O-‘
blood to a person with ‘O-‘ type. That is why it was more difficult
to find a donor with this blood type. Since then I have been con-
stantly thinking and worrying about the people with ‘O-‘ blood
type. That is why I wanted to become a donor since my childhood
in order to help my “blood siblings”.
Many years have passed, the rules have changed, and now it
is allowed to transfuse only the same blood type, but my desire
to help has survived! First, I visited various transfusion centers,
but hardly understood how my blood was used and whom it
helped. In 2015 I joined KFC. And after meeting the Deputy Di-
rector and learning that she was going to donor her blood I sug-
gested I should go with her. Thus, I found myself in the Centre of
the Research institute of Epidemiology where the doctors create
a blood bank only for the patients that are treated at that centre.
And the blood which was obtained today from a donor, tomorrow
can help a particular patient.
The centre is flooded with kindness and desire to help. Each
donor is welcome here like a relative or a long-awaited guest.
Here the concerts are held for those whose lives were saved. This
atmosphere inspired me so much that I decided to undergo the
typing and to join the database of potential bone marrow donors.
And although the center is located quite far from my house, I have
been gladly visiting it for more than 4 years already.
The most precious items each person has are their life and
health. Many people lack the opportunity to live a full life. And
many people can provide this opportunity. And only a few are
ready to share. I am ready!