My name is Varvara Dubrovina and I am a leading fertility nurse at O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic. And this is the story of my journey to the House of Dreams.
My education and the start of my professional life
From the early childhood I knew which profession I will choose in my adult life – medicine! No matter what I would become – a doctor or a nurse. The most important is that medical field attracted me and sparked my interest.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have an opportunity to enter a Medical University. That is why after finishing school I chose to apply to a Medical college of Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University. During my studies at the University I understood that I made the right choice. I got the information quite easily, especially subjects on obstetrics and gynecology. Numerous practical studies in the gynecological department and maternity hospitals induced my interest to a woman’s health.
After graduating from college I started working as an obstetrician in a small town at a maternity welfare clinic. My first working experience was difficult, unexpected and breathtaking. As there were not enough doctors in the clinic, I had to receive pregnant women for the appointments myself, I did both routine check-ups and therapeutic ones. It was a huge experience for me! During this working process I realized that it is not enough to conduct an examination and prescribe treatment. It was also very important to listen to a patient, to build a confiding dialogue. Many of my patients needed to get not only medical but also psychological support. That is why I entered the Institute of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences and got a degree in Social and Developmental psychology. My work started playing out in fresh colors. I learned to listen to myself and control my emotions that enabled me to provide my patients with psychological help.
My acquaintance with IVF
But still I yearned for more knowledge and new experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In 2011 I moved to Saint-Petersburg and was offered a job of a nurse in a private Russian-Finnish Clinic “Scandinavia” and “AVA-Peter”. While working there I found out about new methods in diagnostics and treatment, and also about IVF procedures. IVF – these three letters sounded for me as something cosmic and unreachable! And it became my dream!
In 2014 I became a fertility specialist’s medical assistant in “AVA-Peter” Clinic. I couldn’t believe it! Fear, anxiety, overwhelming wish and happiness… All these feelings were boiling and splashing out of me. At that time I met with a real professional, with a fascinating, strong and charming woman — Dr. Elena Lapina! Dr. Lapina opened for me the exciting world of IVF: embryos, the sacrament of egg collection and gentle moments of embryo transfers! Even the unbelievable — a creation of a possibility for a patient to give birth to her own child after undergoing chemical treatment to fight cancer! It was exactly the job that I was dreaming about! I wanted to help men and women become parents.
O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic and its miracles
Later I found out that the clinic provided fertility treatment not only to Russian patients but also to many patients coming from other countries. This is how in 2017 I met a very strong, open and fervent person — Dr. Olga Zaytseff — and her devoted, kind and hardworking “family team” that would become an independent O.L.G.A. Clinic in just a couple of years. Dr. Olga and her team were finding individual approach to the treatment of every patient. Multiple seminars, keeping pace with new medical research, broadening the clinic’s possibilities gave our patients hope and faith that they are heard and that we are ready to help them.
And again my eyes were shining with excitement and I felt a great interest towards this new experience. Gradually I started to go deeper into the intricacies of working with foreign patients and into the particularities of treatment in donor programmes. But my driving force was and still is a chance to help patients, who for different reasons couldn’t achieve success in their own countries, make their dream come true — become parents.
My task is to fully help and support our patients during their preparation to IVF procedures. At all the stages my mission is to be the link between patients and doctors. It is not an easy job, it requires considerable efforts, patience and love, especially from a psychological point. I wouldn’t hide that sometimes it might become too much, but in such moments I think: “If I cannot handle it, what about our patients? How are they feeling? Who then can help them, listen to them and support?” The love to my work and to my patients and also a big desire to help make dreams come true has always been my motivation. When you receive news that thanks to your input there is one more little heart beating now in the world – it is the highest praise and best possible reward.
I believe that O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic is an Incredible, Caring, Loving and Reliable House that Helps Dreams Become Reality.
