Highland mum who nearly died after childbirth backs blood donor campaign

A mum who almost died after giving birth has added her voice to calls for more people to donate blood.

Kate MacRae, who lives in Ardersier and works as an accounts assistant at Arnold Clark in Inverness, suffered a massive postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to daughter Abigail in 2021.

It was a week-and-half after having Abigail that she was settling into the routine of family life when out of the blue she passed two large blood clots.

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With further blood pouring out of her, husband Mike called the ambulance and she was rushed to hospital, spending three hours under general anaesthetic and developing a life-threatening condition, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation.

It was only thanks to the efforts of staff and 12 transfusions of blood and blood products that she survived and was able to go home five days later.

With her husband, who has colitis, also having received a lifesaving transfusion when he was 18 Mrs MacRae has spoken out on several occasions about the importance of donation - and even persuaded her work colleagues to do their bit to boost supplies.

She has now given her backing to our Give Blood, Save Lives campaign aimed at boosting donation across the Highlands and Moray.

“I’ve seen a lot of the posts being shared on social media and I think it’s absolutely fantastic that so much awareness is being brought to such an important topic,” she said.

“People sometimes don’t think about the significance of things like blood donation until they are directly affected, but reading other people’s stories can really drive home the fact that it regularly saves or improve the lives of ordinary people around us.”

Mum to Hollie as well as Abigail, Kate is grateful every day for the blood donors who saved her life.

“It’s hard to put into words what blood donation means to me and my family,” she said.

“There is no doubt that without blood donors I wouldn’t be alive and that is sometimes hard to wrap my head around.

“The thought that I almost missed out on watching my daughters grow up makes me feel so sad but so grateful at the same time – I think of all the things I would have missed so far and all the milestones still to come that I get to be here for thanks to blood donors and it really is a gift that can never be repaid.”

The enthusiasm of her colleagues to get involved when she set up her own corporate blood drive left her “thrilled” she said, and while some of those who took part were already regular donors others were previous donors who hadn’t given for a while but have now got back into the habit.

“A few others were apprehensive but realised there was nothing to be worried about,” she added.

“I’m working on rallying everybody together again for another donation!”

Of what she would say to anyone thinking of donating but yet to take that step she added: “I would say they have the power to do something amazing and quite literally save a life, so they should definitely give it a go.

“It doesn’t take much time out of your day but could give somebody the rest of their life to live.

“Like many others, I didn’t realise the importance of giving blood until it saved my life and now I’m really remorseful that I never did it and can no longer do so due to the transfusions I received.

“That is why I’m so passionate about convincing others who can to do so – you never know when you or someone you love could be the one in need of help.”

Highland News and Media wants to bring 5000 people from the Highlands and Moray in to give blood.

Join our campaign to give blood and save lives. Book an appointment to give blood at www.scotblood.co.uk, or call 0345 90 90 999 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).

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