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.

What motivated you to become a donor? Have you thought about it before, for example, during a student or ever?

I was inspired by the example of the incredible number of people who went to blood transfusion centers to help affected by the terrible tragedy of 22nd March in Moscow. I am talking about the Crocus City Hall attack. Of course, I knew about the importance of blood donation (and not only blood actually) from an early age. We have discussed this a lot in our family, because both medicine and mysticism in our house have always gone hand in hand. My mother gave many years of her life to medicine. I have repeatedly thought earlier about becoming a donor. As it often happens, I did not find time because of a series of different cases, busy life and everything. But after what happened, it all backfired, and I decided not to postpone my intention any longer. After all, blood is not only required during terrorist attacks, it is required daily, hourly by many people.

What are your impressions from the first bloodletting, from the process? Do you plan to donate blood again?

In fact, I approached this issue as seriously as possible, studying in detail the procedure of blood donation and how to prepare for it. It turned out to be incredibly simple! The impressions after remained the most positive. I felt myself pretty normal. In general, everything went quickly and not afraid at all. I understand that perception of fear may differ, but it’s really not scary, trust me! You’ll be encouraged, you’ll be treated to tea. Everything will be explained and shown. For sure I will come again and try to do it regularly, according to the acceptable norms in donation.

After you posted from the station, subscribers started to comment that someone would now have Sheps' blood coursing through their veins, and with it, perhaps, psychic abilities. How can you comment on this? Are you interested to know to whom and where the blood will be directed?

Interesting and funny theory, but let’s be honest. Now someone’s gonna have my blood, and I don’t know what’s going on with the power transfer. I’m hoping it’ll help a person at the right time. I don’t care where my blood is directed, I just need to understand that I did a good thing, and the rest is the care of doctors and specialists in this field.

Our traditional question: what would you wish donors and those who are going to join the donor program?

I would like to express my deep gratitude to all donors and wish them good health! Keep your courage and continue to inspire others doing good deeds! Don’t wait for tragedies, don’t wait for the right day, pick up your phone right now and find the location closest to you. There will never be a good time; there will always be something to distract you. Every human life is important and you have the power to help someone today! Just 30-60 minutes of your time can extend people's lives by decades. Think about it. Each donor has the magical power to grant someone salvation. All donors have magic in their blood that heals. There is no substitute for the medicine that each of us possesses. Donate blood! Share your life! Do this regularly!

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.

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.

12.09.22

Interview with Svetlana Mishina

The Ulyanovsk Regional Blood Transfusion Station uses non-standard creative approaches to promote donation among young people. Its interactive project Donor-Party significantly increased the number of young donors during the year, and helped many of them overcome their fear of donating blood. Svetlana Mishina, pr-manager of the Ulyanovsk regional blood transfusion station, tells about the project, received a well-deserved award at the All-Russian competition of professional skills of the Blood Service in the nomination “Time to do adult things”.