Interview with Galina Kobzeva

Each year on October 20th, Worldchefs celebrates International Chefs Day. The "Donor's Breakfast" competition was held in the branch of the Penza College of Food Industry and Commerce in the village of Shemysheika, with the participation of the Penza Regional Clinical Blood Center and the regional newspaper "Novoye Vremya". Galina Vladimirovna Kobzeva, head of the Donor's Breakfast project and executive secretary of the Novoye Vremya newspaper told about this competition and the importance of nutrition for blood donors.

How did you come up with the idea of organizing such competition based on an educational institution?

Cooperation of the editorial office of the Shemysheyskaya regional newspaper "Novoye Vremya" with the Penza regional clinical blood center began in 2013. Within the framework of cooperation, various activities are carried out to promote blood donation, including ones in the branch of the Penza College of Food Industry and Commerce. Students of the college, upon reaching adulthood, can join the ranks of blood donors. The college has different courses, including culinary arts. We decided to use the knowledge acquired by the students to develop a delicious and healthy breakfast for donors. The idea was supported by the masters of industrial training Olga Leonidovna Mochalova and Svetlana Viktorovna Egorkina. That is how the Donor Breakfast project was born.

How important is nutrition for blood donors?

The donor must adhere to certain rules of nutrition and behavior, for blood to be successfully examined and subsequently used for transfusion to patients or for the preparation of various drugs. That is why the topic of nutrition is so important.

How was the "Donor's Breakfast" competition at the branch of the Penza College of Food Industry and Commerce in the Shemysheika village?

Girls-contestants prepared for the competition responsibly. They independently studied information about donors' nutrition, chose and prepared several dishes that can be used for donors before donation, and also recommended meals after. A colorful presentation with a detailed recipe and tasting of all prepared dishes was held.

Who organized the competition? How did the students respond to the idea of holding such an event?

The regional newspaper Novoye Vremya and the managers of the Penza Regional Clinical Blood Center organized the competition. Great help was provided by the masters of industrial training and the administration of the college branch: Valery Petrovich Shashkin, the head of the branch, and Irina Alexandrovna Manbetova, the head of the educational department. Students enthusiastically responded to the opportunity to present their cooking and decorating skills to the judgment of fellow students and the organizers.

What did you especially remember during the competition? What dishes made a strong impression?

I would like to note the aesthetics of the competition - the nice uniform of the competitors, professional table setting, beautiful presentation of food and drinks. The entire menu was made up of the simplest, cheapest and most affordable products. The calorie content of each dish was calculated, which is also necessary to create a healthy diet menu.

What would you advise your colleagues in other institutions when organizing similar events?

To hold such an event, there must be interest from all sides. I believe that such events are necessary, they help young people to better understand what blood donation is, teach them to take a responsible approach to this procedure. And I am very pleased to see at donor campaigns the guys who were once participants in our propaganda events, and now they have joined the ranks of people who share a part of themselves with others, help save someone's life and health.

And our traditional question: what would you wish to donors and people, who are going to join the donor program?

I would like to thank the donors who save people's lives and help restore health to our compatriots. Giving a part of themselves for the sake of others, they are an example for people, regularly performing a quiet and inconspicuous feat. I wish all donors, present and future, good health, family well-being. A responsible attitude towards oneself and one's health can be a happy chance for someone to save a life.

Other interviews

13.12.24

Interview with Stanislav Davydov

In 2024, for the first time, the All-Russian Professional Skills Competition among Blood Service institutions included a category titled "Best in Profession: Public Relations Specialist." Based on expert evaluation and public voting, the winner was Stanislav Davydov, Head of PR and Blood Donation Advocacy at the St. Petersburg City Blood Transfusion Station. With over 15 years dedicated to promoting blood donation, Davydov has played a key role in shaping the modern Blood Service institution, implementing effective promotional tools, organizing impactful campaigns, and initiating ambitious projects.

12.12.24

Interview with Ilgiz Vafin

Every year, the Blood Service holds an All-Russian contest of professional skills, where it identifies the best doctors in the industry, the best teams and donor projects. In 2024, a representative forum once again brought together delegates from all regions of Russia in Moscow. Ilgiz Akhmatovich Vafin, the chief physician of the Kuzbass Blood Center, won in the Best Transfusiologist Doctor category. We talked to the laureate about his medical and scientific work, as well as about the prospects for blood and bone marrow donation in Kuzbass.

10.10.24

Interview with Egor Dubov

The donor movement became important and unifying for the youth project «Leaders of the Nizhny Novgorod region». The donor days organization is a laborious process that requires attention. How to start preparing the first donor action, how to motivate colleagues, why it is important to provide educational work among future donors, says the activist of the Youth Project «Leaders of Nizhny Novgorod region» and organizer of the donor actions Egor Dubov.

12.08.24

Interview with Evelina Tomilova

Chelyabinsk regional blood transfusion station was the first in the All-Russian competition of professional skills of the Blood Service in the nomination «Do not miss important» and category «Best poster» with the project «Give five!» The author of the project Evelina Tomilova, a PR manager, told about the poster. It is an effective tool of propaganda, thanks to its visual and concise nature, actively used to promote donor actions among residents of the Southern Urals. In addition to blood donation, posters are also about friendship and unity around the good cause of peoples traditionally living in the region.

18.04.24

Interview with Oleg Sheps

In March, a man came to the Samara Regional Blood Transfusion Clinical Station anonymously. He aroused the great interest of many donors and employees. Not everyone recognized Oleg Sheps at once. He registered like all donors, filled out the necessary documents and waited in the corridor. There was a whisper that a participant of the TV show «Battle of Psychics» is in the queue. Fans among donors and their family members turned out to be many. At each stage of the donor journey, Oleg was expected to take a photo. He didn’t refuse to anyone and told what motivated him to donate blood.

21.03.24

Interview with Natalya Demina

Direct interaction with donors and feedback are important in a successful donor promotion. How to make it effective, says Natalia Demina, the PR manager of the District Blood Transfusion Station in Nizhnevartovsk on the example of two projects «There is a contact» and «ABC of donorship». The projects received the recognition of colleagues and became laureates of the All-Russian competition of professional skills of the Blood Service 2023.

06.02.24

Interview with Irina Karikht

The Blood Service of the Republic of Crimea has published a fairy tale “About Vik, Nadezhda and the path to Danar” especially for young patients of the oncohematology department of the Republican Children's Hospital. This project was highly appreciated by the jury of the All-Russian competition of professional skills of the Blood Service and deservedly received a Laureate diploma. Irina Karikht, PR-manager of the Blood Center of the Republic of Crimea and co-author, told us about.

20.12.23

Interview with Aizan Sultanmuratova

The nurse is with donor throughout entire donation journey. Aizan Sultamuratova told us how to be close and how to help donor to be calm and confident. She is the winner of the All-Russian competition of professional excellence of the Blood Service in the nomination “Best Medical Worker 2023”, category “Best Nursing Personnel”, nurse of the Republican Blood Transfusion Station of the Chechen Republic.

20.11.23

Interview with Anna Maximova

The cheerfulness and combat nature helps Anna Valeryvna Maksimova, the daughter of a railway officer, to cope with life’s difficulties. She is a laboratory doctor, head of the clinical diagnostic laboratory of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Blood Center #1, and the laureate in the nomination «Best medical worker 2023».

25.10.23

Interview with Eduard Bezuglov

Many professional football clubs actively support the donor movement. Fully aware of their responsibility to society, the flags of Russian sport are providing great assistance in the development of blood donation - they are enlisting the army of fans in a noble and important cause. One of the leaders in this direction of social work was the football club of CSKA. Three times a year it holds Donor Days at the stadium «VEB-Arena». The head of the medical department of PFC CSKA Eduard Bezuglov told us how fans of the big game become donors.

29.09.23

Interview with Svetlana Gubskaya

Mother of the many children from Samara gave 200 liters of immune plasma to save hundreds of children’s lives. The Blood Service of Samara region nominated Svetlana Gubskaya to participate in the regional public action «People’s recognition» in the nomination «Recognition and Respect» and asks for donor support in voting.

15.08.23

Interview with Igor Paramonov

The bone marrow and hematopoietic stem cells donation is a complex and important topic for promotion. Igor Vladimirovich Paramonov, MD and director of Kirov Research Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion of FMBA told us how to present this to the largest number of people, and how to fill the Federal Register of Potential Donors of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Bone Marrow.

14.06.23

Interview with Ludmila Podlesnaya

Blood donation is the conscious choice of a strong man. It is only necessary to support - informatively, morally, emotionally - someone who really wants to help. Ludmila Podlesnaya, chairman of the trade union organization of the K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management, believes that this is the main task of the donors' movement.

25.05.23

Interview with Anna Krupko

Donor Day has become a good tradition at the Omsk Technical University. Dozens of students and lecturers are looking forward to this event as an opportunity to express themselves, save someone's life. Anna Krupko, coordinator of the Donor Day and student of the Engineering Institute of the Omsk State Technical University, told us about the main donor event at the university.

04.04.23

Interview with Natalya Zaitseva

The projects of the Samara Regional Clinical Blood Transfusion Station have been nominating at professional medical competitions for several years now. Their creativity and effectiveness are highly appreciated by advertising and pr specialists. This year, the two projects won awards in the professional skills competition of the Blood Service.

09.03.23

Interview with Natalya Volkova

The project «Don't Hibernate» by the Yaroslavl regional blood transfusion station became the winner of the All-Russian competition of professional skills by the Blood Service and underlined the importance of regular blood donation. Natalia Volkova, PR-Manager of the Yaroslavl Regional Blood Transfusion Station, told how the project was created.

15.02.23

Interview with Julia Cheresova

The real story of saving a woman in labor with a rare phenotype by a donor formed the basis of the award-winning project “You can be a superhero!” in the "Best Video" category in the "Don't Miss the Important" nomination of the All-Russian Competition of Professional Skills of the Blood Service. The donor-savior came straight from the tundra on a snowmobile! The work was presented by the Blood Transfusion Department of the Nadym Central District Hospital of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, headed by Julia Cheresova.

30.01.23

Interview with Patimat Abdurakhmanova

The blood transfusion station in the Republic of Dagestan willingly supports volunteers and public figures to promote blood donation in the region. An example of such cooperation came to the original publication - a brochure in which the donor himself talks about stem cell donation. The creator of the booklet is Patimat Abdurakhmanova, volunteer, head of the «Tut Dobro» charity foundation. She told us about the new project, which became one of the winners of the All-Russian Competition of Professional Skills of the Blood Service.

29.11.22

Interview with Irina Lositskaya

The first person the donor interacts with is the nurse. Not only professionalism is very important, but also personal involvement. Laureate of the All-Russian competition of professional skills Irina Lositskaya, operating room nurse, chief nurse of the Blood Center of the FMBA of Russia, told how to combine these qualities, what depends on it and why ethics issues have become so relevant in the age of high technology.

31.10.22

Interview with Alexandra Vnuk

The base for the laureate project of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia Blood Center «On the Pulse of Life» are education, information, loyalty. Alexandra Vnuk, head of the donation development department of the FMBA of Russia Blood Center told us how to implement them on a large scale and in relation to various target audiences of the donor community.