Blood Donation Saves Woman’s Life After Pregnancy

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Every two seconds someone in the United States needs a blood donation. In Georgia, the American Red Cross estimates that number to be about 1,200 pints per day for the peach state’s hospitals.

If that number has never sank in to you as to how much that really is, ask Lisa Bellinger in Warner Robins; in January she lost two liters of blood after giving birth to her daughter, Phoebe.

On January 10th, Lisa and her husband were happily celebrating the life of their newest baby girl. They didn’t realize that less than two hours later, Lisa would be fighting for her life.

“There were nurses, people pushing the red button,” Lisa explained. “The trauma team, craziness. I passed out, woke up and had more I.V.’s than when I had gone to sleep with.”

But that wasn’t the point at which Lisa was nervous yet. It was when she tried to whisper to her husband and trauma team that she couldn’t breathe.

“Then I started to not be able to hear. Then I started to not be able to breathe. That’s when it got scary. Very scary.”

Fortunately, the right blood type was on hand for Lisa. She was given two pints to keep her alive that day.

“Without the blood transfusion, I wouldn’t be here.”

It’s a simple fact; someone in middle Georgia saved Lisa’s life, and allowed Phoebe to still have a mom.

“I am very thankful to whoever donated those two pints. I wish I knew who it came from, I’d definitely thank them.”

41NBC is proud to team up with the American Red Cross for the Memorial Day Blood Drive across middle Georgia. To find out where you can go to donate on Monday, May 27th, click on the banner on the top of our homepage.