A Blood Recipient's Story: Laura

Share this:

Sep 22, 2017 | Jackie O'Reilly | @jacquelineoreilly

When Laura’s water broke and she was brought to the hospital for the birth of her third child, she was expecting a fast, easy delivery. After hours in the delivery room and numerous complications, her son was finally born.

While Laura’s baby boy was alive and healthy, Laura was fading quickly. Complications during delivery led her to have dangerously low hemoglobin levels, requiring an immediate blood transfusion to save her life.

“Without the generosity of blood donors, my children would have had to grow up without their mother,” says Laura. “Just one donation is all it took to save my life, and for that, I will forever be grateful.”

Now a mother of six, Laura gives back to the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center by acting as a “parent volunteer” at the Mayo High School blood drives.

“Blood donation truly is a beautiful gift,” she says. “I want to do my part to encourage our younger generation to become lifelong donors because their gifts will save lives, year after year. What better type of gift is there?”

How to Donate
For more information about donating blood in Rochester, Minnesota, call (507) 284-4475 or email donateblood@mayo.edu. For more information about the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/donateblood or like the center on Facebook.