“I had my twins in January 2020, and everything went great. It was a really smooth pregnancy, a really smooth delivery—I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” said Kelsey Nelson of Greenville, SC, as she recalled the birth of her two children.

“The issue came 12 days post-partum. I experienced a secondary post-partum hemorrhage, and it sent me back to the hospital for about a week. They performed a procedure to see what was going on, and it took a wrong turn,” Kelsey described the events that nearly took her life. “The next thing I know, I woke up a few hours later in recovery.”

While Kelsey was in surgery, her doctors determined she needed what is called a massive blood transfusion protocol, or the rapid administration of large amounts of blood products. Kelsey required eight units of blood products to save her life.

“I remember vividly my doctor trying to help me understand the gravity of the situation after the surgery.  She said, ‘to put it in perspective, you don’t have a single drop of your own blood in your body right now,’” she remembers. “I ended up spending two days in the ICU and five days in the hospital. Luckily, here I am. I came out of it ok, but it was obviously a scary situation for my husband and me; my kids are only 19 months – they have no idea the trauma, but they’ll appreciate it one day.”

After receiving numerous transfusions, Kelsey made a commitment to give blood regularly. Giving blood has become a way that Kelsey copes with her trauma.

“I had given blood in the past, one-offs in my early 20s, but it was never something I was super comfortable with,” she said of her history giving blood. “It was very clear to me that the reason why I was able to be a mom to my kids and get a chance to watch them grow up was because of donors. Without strangers’ acts of kindness, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity.”

Kelsey has friends and family that give with her now, knowing the importance of the donation in Kelsy’s life. In fact, many of her friends say they donate blood because of Kelsey’s experience.

To the donors who helped her and the other donors who commit to this lifesaving work, she sends a heartfelt ‘thank you.’

“Of course, I would say thank you. My babies were 12 days old when this happened, and I remember thinking that 12 days wasn’t enough time to be their mom,” Kelsey imagining what she would say to those who gave the blood she received. “I would let them know that they’ve given me the opportunity to watch my kids grow up, and that’s all I ever could have asked for; more than my own life, is the chance to be their mom – that’s something I’m forever grateful for.”

As Kelsey and her husband raise their children, she is constantly reminded of the gift she’s received, the experience of watching them grow up. She shares her story now to encourage others to think of the impact they can have or the family they could help.  

“I hope my story motivates someone to give and to understand that this gift is so small by effort, but the impact goes far beyond. It goes well, well beyond,” said Kelsey

The American Red Cross continues to have an ongoing, critical need for lifesaving blood this summer as blood product distributions to hospitals remain higher than anticipated. In recent months, the Red Cross has sent 12% more blood products to hospitals to help patients in need, including higher distributions to hospitals in areas where the pandemic continues to disrupt normal blood collection operations.

As summer vacations end and people return to regular routines, the Red Cross encourages eligible donors to make an appointment. Join Kelsey in saving lives. Find a blood drive near you today: redcrossblood.org