Dear friends, after the fourth „Open Hearts Day“ organized by Ana Rukavina Foundation to commemorate Ana’s premature departure, the Registry has increased by 167 new potential donors. During the „Open Hearts Day“ held on November 27th at the Foundation premises, all interested citizens could have found out more about the work of the Foundation and the importance of registration.
Expectant mothers could have found out detailed information on the activities of the Ana Rukavina Public Cord Blood Bank and how to donate stem cells from the umbilical cord.
Mrs. Marija Rukavina, manger of the Foundation said:
“In today’s „Open Hearts Day“, which is held to commemorate our dear Ana, jubilee fifty thousandth donor, Miss Tea Poturica joined the Croatian Bone Marrow Donor Registry. When we started Foundation, the Registry numbered 150 potential donors, and at that moment we thought how it would be nice if there was at least 5,000 potential donors. We never dreamed that in less than nine years of work, we will reach a figure of 50,000 people who have selflessly joined the Registry in order to help patients around the world to find their matching donor.“
Tea Poturica, 26 year old math professor from small town Jakovlje near Zaprešić, said:
“My sister is a med student and her student practice stories motivated me to join the Registry and hopefully help somebody one day.”
