Podari Zhizn Foundation (Gift of Life) in the United Kingdom

In 2011 Podari Zhizn Foundation (Gift of Life) started to operate in the United Kingdom. Its sister foundation Gift of Life UK was registered in London on March 2. Its mission is to raise funds for the benefit of children with cancer who get care from Podari Zhizn.

Co-founder of Podari Zhizn, Russian actress Dina Korzun, who lives with her family in London, actively participates in the life of the new foundation. The Board of Trustees of Gift of Life includes both British citizens and Russian residents of the UK.

There is a number of reasons why the foundation expanded to the UK. Firstly, patients who get aid from Podari Zhizn regularly need Erwinase, a UK-manufactured drug which Podari Zhizn buys directly from there since it can not be bought in Russia. It would be much more efficient to raise funds for Erwinase in the UK and not to transfer money from one country to another.

Another reason for creating a charitable foundation in the UK is the existence of tax benefits for both givers and recipients of donations. There is a Gift Aid system there that increases donations made by a UK taxpayer by 25%.

In addition, we hope that the charitable donations raised by Gift of Life UK will also be used to pay for bone marrow donors search and graft harvesting for Russian patients. There is no bone marrow register of unrelated donors in Russia, and thus we have to look for unrelated donors in international registers. The average cost of an unrelated bone marrow donor search is about 12 000 GPB and it would be highly desirable to raise fund for it in Europe.

On June 1, 2011 the official opening of the Federal Clinical Research Center for Children’s Hematology, Oncology and Immunology happened. It is the biggest and the most modern both in Russia and Europe hospital for children with blood diseases. Bone marrow transplantations will occupy a special place in the Centre’s practice. This life-saving treatment is still one of the scarcest in Russia – they perform about 150 transplantations per year while the real need in such operations is 800 — 1000. In the Centre there will be capacity to perform more 250-300 operations per year. That will raise costs for unrelated bone marrow donors search in other countries. Besides, the Centre will be able to accommodate up to 500 primary patients per year. We also clearly realize that there will be children among the patients who will require erwinase.

We truly hope that Gift of Life UK will help us to raise the money and help doctors to save children’s lives. We are whole-heartedly grateful to our British friends and our compatriots living in the UK for their help in the creation of charitable foundation Gift of Life. Now our children have a trustworthy friend in the United Kingdom!

If you reside in the UK and want to support our children please donate to Gift of Life.

Gift of Life Account details Bank details: HSBC, 65 Cornmarket Street, Oxford OX1 3HY Account name: Gift of Life Account number: 62818779 Sort code: 40 35 34 IBAN: GB89MIDL40353462818779 SWIFT: MIDLGB22

Gift Aid form

Gift Aid means that for every pound you donate Gift of Life will receive an extra 25 percent from HM Revenue & Customs. For example, a donation of £10 can be turned into £12.50 and it won’t cost you another penny! Please download Gift Aid form, complete it, send it to us and we’ll do the rest.

Gift of Life, registered charity in England and Wales (1140638). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (7471547). Registered office: 2 Putney Hill, London, SW15 6AB.