Participants of the All-Russian Bone Marrow Donation Marathon met at KBSU

On October 26, 2023, participants of the All-Russian Bone Marrow Donation Marathon #Let’s Join were welcomed at Kabardino-Balkarian State University.

Organized by the Federal Register of Bone Marrow Donors, the marathon started on September 1, 2023 in the city of Ulan-Ude. Over the course of 71 days, it will be held in 72 cities of Russia, and will end on November 10 in Arkhangelsk.

The purpose of the action is to conduct a mass communication campaign to popularize bone marrow donation and consciously involve the young population in the Federal Register program to provide highly effective non-alternative medical care to oncohematological patients.

The ambassador of the event was Artem Aliskerov, an experienced athlete, founder of the Second Life Charitable Foundation for supporting the development of bone marrow donation. Artem Aliskerov has been involved in sports since childhood, had no bad habits, but did not avoid a terrible disease — blood cancer. He managed to overcome the illness, and just 11 days after that, Artyom fulfilled his old dream — he conquered Elbrus. This ascent became a world record.

Now Artyom Aliskerov’s goal is to help people with cancer. More than once, he and caring people and friends collected humanitarian aid for children and adults suffering from leukemia. He continues to do this now. But a more ambitious task has emerged — increasing the number of bone marrow donor registries.

In support of the donor movement, every day he runs a marathon in different cities of Russia. In one breath — Tula, Orel, Kursk, Voronezh, Belgorod — more than 50 cities are already behind us. Nalchik has become the 56th city where the #Let’s Join campaign is taking place.

During the route around Nalchik, Artem Aliskerov ran through the territory of the hospital town (Dubki), where the Bone Marrow Donor Alley will be created. This is the first and only Bone Marrow Donor Alley in the country, and it will be opened in Nalchik! The athlete crossed the red finishing ribbon at the main entrance to the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh. M. Berbekov, where he was met by representatives of the Ministry of Health of the KBR, employees of the Blood Transfusion Station, honorary donors of Russia, students, medical volunteers, and schoolchildren.

In the cultural center named after Kh. S. Temirkanov for students and schoolchildren, the head of the donation development department of the Kirov Research Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, Natalya Malysheva, gave a lecture on why it is necessary to join the Federal Register of Bone Marrow Donors.

“Unfortunately, the bone marrow donor base in our country is very small. And leukemia often requires a bone marrow transplant. 80 percent require a bone marrow transplant. These people really want to live, they also have families, relatives, friends, children, goals, dreams! But in our country there are just under 200 thousand donors. Finding a donor is extremely difficult. Many patients die without finding a suitable donor. Becoming a donor is very simple: you need to make a decision and come to the Blood Transfusion Station, fill out an agreement form to join the GSK Register, the doctor decides that there are no contraindications to donation, the donor is assigned a registration number in the Federal Register, the donor donates blood from a vein 3–5 ml, the biomaterial is sent to the laboratory to decipher DNA and tissue compatibility genes, the data obtained will be entered into the Federal Register search database,” explained Natalya Malysheva.
According to the lecturer, the bone marrow donation procedure should also not cause concern. Within 4–5 hours, using a hematopoiesis stimulating drug, the donor’s blood passes through a special apparatus — a cell separator.

“It doesn’t hurt at all. And isn’t it worth it to save someone’s life?” – emphasized Natalya Malysheva.
The lecturer cited several real stories with happy endings.

Then the acting Minister of Health of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Marat Karmov, addressed the participants of the action with a welcoming speech, who presented gratitude from the Ministry of Health of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic to Natalya Malysheva and Artem Aliskerov for their great personal contribution to the development of the donor movement in the Russian Federation, the promotion of blood donation and bone marrow donation.

“For me, Kabardino-Balkaria is a special republic. The first world record I set was on Elbrus. The second time I came to climb Elbrus without the help of poles — and it also worked out. Today we ran our 56th marathon. Of course, fatigue has accumulated, but this noble action is worth participating in. The way I was greeted here, I can say that Nalchik is number one. Thank you!” said Artem Aliskerov.
Also for the great personal contribution to the development of the donor movement and blood service and in connection with the holding of the 15th All-Russian Forum of the Blood Service, the departmental insignia of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency — the medal “For promoting the donor movement was awarded to the head of the club formation of the MBU «Center for Cultural Development» of the local administration of Nalchik Gulnara Zhabelova.