Penza, 18 November 2015. PenzaNews. Irina Khlebushkina, the founder and the steadfast head of the Penza region branch for the Russian Foundation for Charity and Health, 76, has passed away.

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The farewell ceremony will be held in the ritual hall of the Penza regional Burdenko clinical hospital at 9.00 of Friday, November 20.

Irina (Stepanovna) Khlebuskhina was born on August 8, 1939.

After graduating from a university, she focused on working in medical exercises field by assisting rehabilitation of patients in the Semashko hospital. She was elected the head of the hospital’s workers union, and stood in the lead of the Penza city medical workers union committee between 1977 and 1989.

In 1989, Irina Khlebushkina arranged for the opening of the regional branch of the Soviet Foundation for Charity and Health (now the Russian Foundation for Charity and Health), the organization that provides assistance to hospitals, social institutions and people in tough situations.

She was named the honorary president and board chairman of the foundation in 2008.

Irina Khlebuskina received the title of Excellence in Healthcare and the medal “For Merits in Development of Penza City.”