I lost all the blood in my body three times over giving birth

A WOMAN who haemorrhaged three times her body’s entire volume of blood after giving birth to her daughter has said it is “a miracle” that she survived.

Fiona Christie, 34, from Edinburgh, received blood products from 88 donors after her daughter Rosa was born in November 2009.

She is now appealing for new “life-saving” donors to come forward and give blood over Christmas.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) said the number of new donors who attended centres last year fell by 10,965, compared with 2008.

Mrs Christie met Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon yesterday at the Blood Donor Centre in Glasgow to launch the campaign.

SNBTS said fewer young people had donated blood in the past three years, despite 17-21- year-olds being the group most likely to register. At least 40 per cent of new donor registrations were of this age group, but almost a quarter (24 per cent) had not yet given blood.

Mrs Christie said: “My daughter Rosa was born on Friday 13 November, 2009. Immediately following her birth I suffered a massive haemorrhage.

“In total, I bled for almost seven hours, losing three times my whole blood volume.

“It is a miracle I am alive. My doctor told me I had suffered one of the worst bleeds after giving birth seen in recent years.

“I received blood products from 88 donors, including red cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelets. Particularly at this time of year, I think about those 88 people who saved me. Without them, my beautiful little girl would be growing up without her mummy, and I think of all the Christmas times we would have missed together.

“The people who gave blood may not remember what they did for me, but my family and I will never forget their actions.”

Keith Thompson, national director of SNBTS, said: “The festive season increases the pressure on the blood supply, which is why we are asking new and especially young donors who have never given blood before to act now.

“The number of new donors in Scotland has declined in the last three years, and that’s why young donors are increasingly important in making sure we always have enough blood for patients in Scotland.

“We want to remind the young people of Scotland of the very real difference they can make by coming to give blood. Fiona’s story shows how important blood donors are.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “We know the number of blood donors can often drop over the Christmas period, but the need for blood does not. That’s why we need more young donors to come forward over the next few weeks and also to continue to donate. This important group are vital to protect the blood supply of the future.”

Scotland has 161,703 active blood donors. Donors are “active” if they have given blood in the past 12 months.

Last year the service recruited 6,555 sixth-year pupils, all of whom gave blood, making up 4 per cent of the active donor base.

Dr Moira Carter, national donor services manager, said: “We want to thank them and encourage more to follow their wonderful example.

“We hope young people in Scotland will support us and help patients like Fiona.”