"When I woke up from surgery, the amazing thing was to see the blood bag hanging above my bed. It was the first thing that I saw."
Click Emily's photo (right) to see her tell her story in her own words.
In May of 2013, Emily experienced a ruptured ectopic pregnancy that caused intense pain and internal bleeding. After collapsing at home, she was rushed to the hospital and into surgery where she received a blood transfusion.
Emily is with us today thanks to the skill and care of paramedics, doctors and nurses who treated her and the volunteer donors who helped save her life.
"This kept my family whole," says Emily. "This kept me here. This allowed my son to still have a mother, and allowed my husband to still have a wife. It was a feeling of being forever grateful."
As the school year ends and summer holidays begin, the rate of blood donation decreases by about 20%, but patient need at hospitals we serve remains the same.Find a Donor Center or mobile blood drive near you by calling (866) 448-3253 or schedule online at www.bloodcenterIMPACT.org.