Salisbury Mother Spreads Message About the Need for Blood
One-year-old daughter relies on transfusions every 3 weeks to survive
Salisbury, MD - Salisbury native Patricia Bruce's life changed in a second. Now, she is on a mission - to recruit blood donors to save lives.
"I want everyone to know how important blood donors are to our community. They are amazing people," Patricia said. "They give blood and, in many cases, they never see the patients that they are helping. Local blood donors are keeping my daughter alive, and I am so grateful."
When Patricia's one-year-old daughter, Ashlynn, was born, she had a very low red blood cell count. She experienced congestive heart failure and needed emergency blood transfusions to save her life.
"My heart fell. It was the worst moment ever! My precious baby girl was going through this and, for awhile, I wasn't sure if she was going to make it," Patricia said. "I went in to see her and tell her how much I loved her."
Ashlynn received the transfusions and immediately started to bounce back. Doctors called her the "pink baby" because of all the color that returned to her cheeks. Blood transfusions saved Ashlynn's life then and they continue to keep her alive now. She has been diagnosed with Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a rare disease that prevents red blood cells from being produced in her bone marrow. She now relies on blood transfusions every 3 weeks to survive.
For more information on DBA, visit www.dbafoundation.org. To make an appointment to give blood and help patients like Ashlynn, call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8 or click HERE.
