Published on: 2026-10-16
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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An educational meeting titled “Goodness Begins with You: Become a Donor” was held at the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. It brought together 75 people. Following the meeting, 22 participants submitted applications to join the bone marrow donor registry.
The event took place as part of the All-Russian donor campaign “#WETOGETHER | Giving Life” with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Dobro.rf Association. The organizers were the team of the “SPbPU Donor Day” campaign and the Volunteer Projects Center “Harmony” (Dobro.Center SPbPU).
The university environment helps foster a culture of mutual assistance and a responsible attitude toward the life of another person. In donation, a conscious decision is especially important, so at Polytech a space of trust has been created for open conversation and the transition from interest to concrete action,
Sofia Kulik, coordinator of donor campaigns for the Bone Marrow Donor Development Fund in Saint Petersburg and representative of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, spoke about the role of bone marrow in hematopoiesis, selecting a compatible donor, and the operations of the registry. Participants discussed common myths, requirements for potential donors, stages of donation, and recovery.
Sofya Kulik shared a personal story: in 2023, her older brother, surgeon Evgeny, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. While she was being prepared as a donor as his sister, the registry continued the search. Eventually, a compatible donor was found, after which Evgeny underwent a transplant.
Having gone through this path, I realized how lucky our family was. Therefore, I consider it my duty to tell people about donation. The stories of real patients and donors help to understand the significance that one person’s decision can have for an entire family, — noted Sofya Kulik.
After answering the questions, those interested were able to submit an application to join the registry: fill out a form and provide a buccal epithelial sample — a smear from the inner cheek — for subsequent tissue compatibility testing. This format combined education with practical participation in the donor movement. Adding to the registry expands the possibilities of finding compatible donors for patients in need of transplantation.
“Today at the meeting, participants were able to speak with a specialist and had the opportunity to join the bone marrow donor registry. The next event of the donor movement at the university will be the ‘Donor Day’ campaign, which will take place on November 16–17 at the Polytech Tower.” — reported Polina Ursegova, head of the “SPbPU Donor Day” campaign.
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