Nellie Grenier, the mother of a nine-year-old girl in Sherbrooke, Que., says blood product donations not only saved her daughter as a baby but also ensured she can enjoy a typical childhood.
Her daughter, Justine, has a genetic disease known as Diamond-Blackfan anemia, where the bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells.
From birth, Justine was in respiratory distress and had to receive a blood transfusion.
“That’s what saved her life from the start,” Grenier said. “The fact that she receives blood products gives her the energy necessary to have an almost normal life, like other children.
Héma-Québec organized the event at the Delta Hotel Tuesday evening to thank more than 100 donors who contributed blood, plasma, stem cells or breast milk more than 100 times.
Grenier attended to say thank you in person.
“For me, it certainly warms my heart,” she said. “In the end, there might be someone here responsible, in a way, for my daughter’s survival.”
Marc-Antoine Lavallée heads Héma-Québec’s permanent locations. He said donating can sometimes be a solitary activity, so Tuesday evening’s event provided an opportunity for donors to come together and share their experiences.
Among them was Larry Foisy who has made nearly 125 donations. He said, for him, it’s about giving back to the community.
“If there were even more donors, our health would be better,” he said.
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