Behind every Gift of Life event, whether a moving gala or an intimate fundraising evening, stand the photographers who capture its most meaningful moments. Their images tell stories of compassion, generosity and shared purpose. We spoke with four of volunteer photographers Evgenia Basyrova, Toma Evsyukova, Tania Naiden, and Valya Korabelnikova about what volunteering with Gift of Life means to them.
Evgenia Basyrova: “To give from abundance, not from deficit”
Evgenia first joined Gift of Life nearly ten years ago, after being invited to photograph the charity’s annual Christmas Ball – a glittering evening at London’s Savoy Hotel attended by notable guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Katie Melua, Natalia Osipova and Stephen Fry.
“It was my first large-scale event and I was amazed by the number of volunteers and how united the team was. After five or six hours of shooting comes half the night of editing, but the energy is incredible,” Evgenia recalls.
Her key lesson from years of volunteering is the importance of balance:
“Volunteering means giving from abundance – of time, energy and creativity – not from deficit. If you don’t manage your strength, even the most inspiring work can lead to burnout.”
Among her most unforgettable memories is the moment when a young Gift of Life beneficiary met the bone-marrow donor who had saved her life.
“When they hugged, the entire hall was in tears. It was unbelievably moving.”
Toma Evsyukova: “Any help matters”
Toma’s involvement began in 2022, when she helped film a memorable performance of ‘When the Pain Is Gone’ by Katie Melua andBoris Grebenshchikov, later auctioned as an NFT to raise vital funds.
Her moments with Gift of Life have been personal and closely connected to kind, caring, and empathetic people. “I learned that anyone can help, and that any help matters,” she says simply.
Asked to imagine a photograph to celebrate a future where childhood cancer is no longer a threat, Toma replies:
“Well, it would definitely celebrate scientists, medics, and humanity. But I can’t yet imagine how I would depict it. Let’s hope that one day we’ll find out.”
Tania Naiden: “Empathy is the skill you don’t expect to learn”
For photographer Tania Naiden, volunteering with Gift of Life has expanded both her professional and personal horizons.
“A photographer usually stays behind the camera, but volunteering meant stepping out talking to people of all ages and backgrounds. It teaches empathy,” she says.
Her most powerful moments have been meeting children who have overcome cancer and those who made their recovery possible.
“It’s always moving to see the people who give their time and energy to sustain life or the moment when a donor meets the child their bone marrow cells have saved.”
Though Tania hopes for a world without cancer, she remains realistic:
“If I were to capture that moment in a photograph, on a sensory level, I imagine this image as representing attention and support, much like T-cells detecting, surrounding, and neutralising a threat. And since our ‘cells’ are real people, I would like to show just how many of these protectors there are.”
Valya Korabelnikova: “Being part of a community of good”
Valya describes her motivation simply:
“I want to be in a community of fair, kind, compassionate people. Helping others gives me hope that the world is becoming slightly more just, and that if someone is having a difficult time, they won’t be abandoned, but helped.”
She sees volunteering not only as a moral act but as a source of strength and connection:
“When I share my privilege with someone who needs help, it makes me feel grounded in the future. It reminds me that we are together, and that people can rely on each other.”
Her most unforgettable memory is of a young woman who once appeared in a Gift of Life video during treatment, pale, and fragile and later walked onto the gala stage healthy, radiant, and full of plans and hopes for the future.
“Those who’ve stood at the edge of life often live twice as fully, ” Valya says.
The heart behind the camera
Each of these volunteers captures more than just images, they document the spirit of giving and the power of community that make Gift of Life’s mission possible. Through their lenses, the charity’s work comes to life, from moments of generosity and gratitude to the collective effort that helps children access the treatment they desperately need.
Would you like to step in and support Gift of Life with your creative skills? Get in touch with us at info@giftoflife.eu.