HSE Students and Staff Donate 72.5 Liters of Blood

Over 150 HSE students and staff participated in the latest Donor Day at HSE, giving blood that will help save 483 people’s lives. This initiative was organized by the HSE Armenian Club in conjunction with the Blood Transfusion Centre at the Moscow Healthcare Department.

‘Russia is suffering a serious deficit of donated blood, and surveys say that people are poorly informed about the scale of the problem. This student initiative is aimed at popularizing the blood donor movement, and the number of registered participants show that we’ve achieved our goals’, said the event organizers.

161 people have donated 72.5 liters of blood over the two days of the initiative.

This was the third time that Alina Ishuk, a fourth-year psychology student, donated blood. She first gave blood at one of HSE’s previous Donor Days. ‘I first came to this initiative to find out what my blood group is. I didn’t feel any pain or dizziness, nothing! It was very easy. And now I donate blood regularly’, said Alina.

The participants have different motivations for becoming a donor. Some come with friends, others feel obligated to help those in need, and others, such as Alina Kolbina, 2015 master’s graduate of the Faculty of Economics Sciences, have just one more donation to make before being recognized as ‘Russia’s Honored Donor’.

‘I first came to a blood donation station when I was 13, but I was told I was too young. So I was 19 when I first gave blood, and since then I’ve donated 39 times. It isn’t difficult, but it helps people a lot’, said Alina.

92 participants were rejected, but they say that they will prepare more thoroughly next time: they will make sure they stick to a special diet and look after their health.

During Donor Days teaching and administrative staff join students in giving blood. This time, the security officers at the Shabolovka building where the action took place, were particularly active.

Donor Days have become a regular event at HSE. The next Donor Day is scheduled for May. News will be shared in the Donor Day group on VK (in Russian).

This Donor Day action has won the HSE student initiative support competition for autumn. Competition winners receive financial and organizational assistance from the Student Initiative Support Centre for their events. The next stage of the competition will take place in March 2017.