Vladyslav Shubin started his new job as a paramedic laboratory assistant on February 24, 2022, just as one of the darkest days in his country’s history unfolded.
“The beginning of my medical career coincided with the beginning of a full-scale war,” Shubin remembers.
Fears of a Russian invasion had haunted Ukrainians and the world for months, but as he finalized his paperwork with Zaporizhzhia Regional Blood Service Center, a training air alarm blasted over Zaporizhzhia – an ominous warning of what was to come. The next day, Russian troops launched their assault. As missiles rained down on his country’s capital city, Shubin clocked in for the first time.
“My first working day began on February 24 and lasted 36 hours,” he says. “I went to work in the morning, finished the day shift, went home to eat and came back.”
Two years later, the death toll of the conflict is believed to be in the hundreds of thousands, and millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. But, recognizing the critical importance of his work at the blood center, Shubin chose to stay, and does so every day.
We here at Global Blood Fund want to celebrate the bravery and commitment of people like Shubin, which is why we, along with our Ukrainian partners DonorUA, provided weekly hot meals to the 150 employees of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Blood Service Center each week starting in April.
Shubin says the meals have made a difference for him, and even jokes that they’ve changed his opinion on food in hospitals.
“The lunches are tasty and very balanced,” he says. “It’s also very nice that there’s a dessert.”
Global Blood Fund seeks to save lives by improving the safety and availability of blood everywhere. Since our founding in 2008, we have donated equipment, provided training and met the needs of blood centers and their communities in more than 50 countries.
If you would like to join us in our mission, consider donating today.
