There has been an urgent need for blood donations during the pandemic and one new mom found out just how critical it is because someone’s donation saved her life and the life of her baby boy.
This is a moment that almost didn’t happen. Katherine Bredemeier at North Kansas City Hospital holding her firstborn child, William, for the first time. She had unusual pain 38 weeks into her pregnancy. Her liver had ruptured and she needed a massive blood transfusion.
“What solidified how bad it really was, was every doctor that was in the surgery on Wednesday came in and they just were like, ‘We cannot believe that you’re here,'” she said.
Bredemeier suffered from a rare syndrome called HELLP — hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet levels — affecting only 1% of pregnancies. She’d never heard of it until she was headed into surgery. She said she has a new appreciation for everyone who donates blood.
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