On 14 June, World Blood Donor Day is observed worldwide, honouring individuals who, out of altruism and deeply held convictions, give a part of themselves to save the lives of others. Blood donors are also among the workforce at Metinvest enterprises.
At Kryvyi Rih’s Iron Ore Plants, a strong culture of respect for blood donors has been cultivated over many years. It dates back to the founding of the enterprises and continues to this day. Today, the children and grandchildren of the first donors at the Iron Ore Plants continue their noble cause. Viktoriia FIEDUSOVA, a donor and Senior Storekeeper at the Technological Motor Transport Shop of Inhulets Iron Ore, recalls:
“I first donated blood at the age of 18. I went to the blood transfusion centre with my father, Viktor Ivanovych, who already held the title of Honorary Donor at the time and had worked at Inhulets Iron Ore since his youth. My blood donation was not systematic thereafter, but rather more occasional in nature. For example, when one of my relatives or acquaintances needed a blood transfusion for treatment. However, with the onset of the full-scale war, the donor movement at our enterprise became more active. We organise centrally, arrange transport through the plant, and travel together to save lives in our own way. I do this from the heart, because I know how much it is needed now by wounded defenders. My husband Oleksandr, my son Ivan, and my cousins Serhii and Oleksii are at the front."
Since 2022, donors at Inhulets Iron Ore have been supported by the primary organisation of the Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners of Ukraine. Employees receive financial incentives for each donation. According to the trade union’s statistics, since the start of the full-scale war, Inhulets employees have made 2,148 donations.
At Central and Northern Iron Ore, members of youth organisations are the most active donors. Illia SHOSTOV, Head of the Iron Ore's Youth Union, said that this year young people from Central Iron Ore have already held two “Blood Saves Lives” campaigns and travelled together in an organised manner to Kryvyi Rih Blood Transfusion Centre. As the blood transfusion centre maintains a database of donors, medical staff can, where urgently required for mass blood donation, contact the enterprise directly, as well as send notifications to individual donors in the event of a shortage of a specific blood type.
Yaroslav DZIADUK, a donor and employee of the Railway Transport Department at Northern Iron Ore, has blood group O negative. The young man became interested in blood donation even before the war and donated blood once or twice a year. However, since 2022, recognising the importance of blood transfusion as an effective treatment for recovery, he has increased the frequency of his donations.
“If I can help the Armed Forces of Ukraine with my blood, I will do it. I frequently receive notifications from the blood transfusion centre, as my blood type is among the most common and, consequently, in the highest demand. I tried to donate more frequently, but there was a period when my blood parameters began to deteriorate and my iron levels declined. Therefore, I now adhere to a donation interval of once every two to three months. I believe that donated blood can give a person a second chance at life – that it is someone’s tomorrow."
