The funds, donated to the foundation by calling 060 9000, will also be used for the professional training of hematologists and nurses and the purchase of medical equipment for the treatment of oncology patients with blood-forming stem cells from the foundation's donor register.
This humanitarian drive, which consists of a concert featuring Croatian pop and rock stars and calling the humanitarian number, brought together top officials and public figures who answered phone calls by citizens in the foundation's call centre, thanking them for participating in the drive.
A letter entitled "I want life" by 29-year-old Croatian reporter Ana Rukavina, who was undergoing treatment for leukemia in 2006, did not leave anyone indifferent. Her sincere appeal for help deeply moved the Croatian public, and that letter actually triggered off this humanitarian campaign and marked the beginnings of work on organising the register of potential donors of blood-forming stem cells.
In its 19 years of operation, the Ana Rukavina Foundation has increased the number of potential donors of hematopoietic stem cells from 150 to 67,246 and has assisted in the treatment of over 180 patients.
In mid-2005, Croatian journalist Ana Rukavina was diagnosed with leukemia. She was treated at the Bone Marrow Transplantation Department at the Clinical Hospital Center (KBC) Zagreb and began to recover, only for the disease to return in October 2006. She wrote that heartfelt letter about her struggles, asking for help with treatment, as there was a possibility of receiving therapy in the United States. Her letter quickly spread across the internet and other media, prompting many people to offer assistance. She wanted to draw public attention to the shortage of bone marrow donors and the need to establish a stem cell bank from umbilical cord blood. She passed away on 26 November 2006, at the age of 30.