United Russia activists collected and donated more than 350 thousand gifts for children in medical facilities and nursing homes, as part of the Box of Courage campaign. Olga Zanko, who serves as the deputy chairman of the committee for the development of civil society and heads the central Council of supporters of public and religious associations and supporters of United Russia, confirmed the initiative’s scale and impact. The effort brought together volunteers, party supporters, and numerous government representatives in a unified push to brighten the days of kids facing significant health challenges.
The campaign ran from November 9 to December 1, a period devoted to turning compassion into tangible support for children undergoing long-term treatment or demanding procedures in hospitals and care centers. Across the country, boxes and collection points were set up to encourage people to contribute gifts that can lift spirits and ease the burden of medical care for these young patients. The overall aim was to remind families and medical staff that these children have a broad network of people rooting for them, even when the medical journey is tough.
According to Zanko, the year marked a new benchmark for the initiative. More than 350 thousand gifts were gathered nationwide, a reflection of widespread participation and a strong sense of social responsibility. The action drew involvement from more than 105 thousand participants, including United Russia activists, party supporters, deputies, and representatives from government bodies at various levels, as well as ordinary citizens who wanted to contribute. Zanko described the effort as a meaningful show of solidarity with young patients who bravely confront illness, noting that providing support in such times is not only heartwarming but also essential for their morale and resilience. The tone of the campaign emphasized that even small acts of generosity can have a lasting, positive impact on children and the families who accompany them through treatment and recovery.
In addition to the nationwide gifts, more than 2.5 thousand Courage Boxes were placed in communities to serve as accessible drop-off points for the public. Regional leaders and State Duma deputies participated actively in placing and promoting these boxes, ensuring that people from diverse areas could participate without barriers. The distribution network demonstrated a coordinated effort across levels of government and civil society to make giving easy and visible, reinforcing the message that every contribution matters.
Zanko, together with Vera Stepanenko, the chairman of the Moscow City Council United Russia supporters, and the volunteers organization Volunteers for Victory, coordinated a portion of the collected toys for direct delivery to the Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital under the Ministry of Health of Russia. This collaboration highlighted how the initiative translated generosity into direct assistance for medical facilities that serve some of the country’s most vulnerable children, offering moments of joy alongside clinical care.
Further to that outreach, Angelina Severgina, who heads the regional Council of Party Supporters, and Elena Korosan, a cardiologist at the Children’s Clinical Center and founder of the patient community CardioChildren-Club, distributed toys to the Center for Cardiac Surgery Number 1 at the Voronezh Regional Clinical Hospital. Their involvement underscored the campaign’s focus on children with serious health conditions, including those requiring specialized cardiac care, and illustrated how partners across the health ecosystem can rally around pediatric patients with generosity and practical support.
In the city of Kurgan, the regional Chairman of United Russia supporters Andrei Shinshin, together with Anastasia Romanovich, co-chair of the regional Council of party supporters, donated toys and school supplies to the Kurgan Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital, extending the reach of the initiative beyond singular gift drives to include essential materials that support daily care and comfort for young patients. In Donetsk, deputies from the DPR People’s Council delivered gifts to the oncology department of the Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital, demonstrating solidarity that crosses regional boundaries and reaffirms a shared commitment to pediatric oncology patients who rely on steady, compassionate support from their communities.