Priceless blood

More than a thousand residents of Moscow gave blood on the weekend

“We had people coming here from the blown-up train,” tells head of the department of blood supply Alla Odintsova. “First, came those who could have been traveling in that train but for some reason stayed at home.”

“Don't cry dear,” soothingly says a nurse to a young lady Katerina who came to donate her blood in Tsaritsino. “Don't cry. There is nothing to worry about right now.” In the morning of February 6th, Katerina was commuting to work in THAT train. She heard a blast behind her back.

Two blood centers continued working nonstop (on Polykarpov and Bokinsky street). Usually, blood centers tend to work until 1pm. This time however all centers remained opened until 5pm.

“There was an endless line of people…people kept coming and coming,” says doctor’s assistant of Moscow's Department of Health Vladimir Sharonov. “According to the law, only individuals of 18 till 60 are eligible to give blood. However, even 14-year-old teenagers and 70-year-old individuals wanted to help.”

Normally, there are about 40-50 blood donors, no more. Last weekend however more than a thousand people showed up.

Three women are sitting and patiently awaiting their turn.
“My beloved could have been in that train,” contemplates Galina. “We always commute by train. I just want to help.”
“What difference does it make if I am not Russian?” uttered an Azerbaijan resident. “I simply want to help.” The man was stunned after learning that only Russians are eligible to be donors.

Every donor was carefully examined by a therapist. People were being checked for a whole array of infections. 46 people were turned down only at one location. Those who qualified and “passed the test” were nicely treated with a warm cup of tea and cookies in a room next door. They also received 100 rubles for lunch.

Blood centers will continue working until the very last donor. Doctors claim that they will be in need of blood for at least a couple of weeks.            
   

Natalya Panasenko
Source:  MK

Photo: Reuters