Colorado mother recalls traumatic child birth, urges people to donate blood for Mother's Day

Colorado organizations are collaborating for a month-long "Donate for Mothers" campaign in May hosted by Vitalant. 

It's the third year the campaign has been held, with the sole purpose of encouraging Coloradans to donate blood to help save lives. 

Highland Ranch mom, Trish Anderson, is a blood donation recipient. She doesn't take playing with her kids for granted.

"I wouldn't be here to celebrate this with my kids if it weren't for people who donated blood," Anderson told CBS News Colorado. 

Just three years ago, Anderson almost died in the operating room after complications, while giving birth to her daughter, Dobry. She was rushed into emergency surgery. She lost 27 liters of blood.

"I was pleading with God and praying that we would have a good outcome," Anderson expressed. "It was very scary, the prospect that I might leave my three other kids to grow up without a mom."

Anderson needed 52 units of blood to survive, so she was given a blood transfusion, and that was just the beginning of her journey.

"Over the course of the next almost two years, our recovery was really difficult, we had a lot of surgical complications. So, I ended up totaling eight surgeries including the delivery and received an additional 12 units of blood, so to date I've received 64 units of blood," she said. 

According to Vitalant, donated blood is needed for one in every 83 baby deliveries in the United States. 

Blood that's already on the shelf is what helps in emergency situations, which is why it's crucial to maintain a supply at all times and transfusions are very important for women who experience complications or emergencies during childbirth. 

Anderson says she's alive today because of all of the people who donated.

"I will never be able sit with those 64 people and tell them thank you," she said. 

On this Mother's Day, Anderson is thankful for the gift of life and hopes her story will inspire others to donate blood to save a life.

"If you can donate, go donate please in honor of a mother you love," Anderson said. "And if you can't that's OK too, just encourage someone else to go and give a donation." 

From now until May 31, people can donate blood at more than 40 Colorado hospitals and all 10 Colorado Vitalant donation centers. For more information visit: https://bit.ly/3M5EQxs