Local Resident Celebrates 1st Anniversary of Survival

Long Beach resident Kelly Mayer is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive Friday, Nov. 23, in honor of maternal trauma patients requiring lifesaving blood.

Soon after the birth of her son, Maddox, Mayer experienced placenta accreta, a condition that can lead to serious complications including catastrophic bleeding during childbirth.

Within 30 minutes of her son Maddox’s birth, Mayer began to hemorrhage due to a ruptured artery and she lost consciousness. Over the next 10 hours, Mayer required three surgeries and 35 units of blood products.

Mayer credits blood donors for their role in saving her life and allowing her to raise Maddox. To mark the one-year anniversary of her surgery, Mayer is hosting a community blood drive to pay it forward and help patients in need of blood. Her goal is to recruit at least 35 donors, to represent the 35 units of blood products that she needed.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, as many as 90 percent of patients with placenta accreta require a blood transfusion, and 40 percent require more than 10 units of red blood cells.

“I’m alive today thanks to many generous blood donors. Most do not realize or understand that massive blood loss during and after childbirth is a possibility,” said Mayer. “We need the community’s help and generosity to give blood to patients in need, including other mothers.”

Family, friends and the Long Beach community are invited to help ensure blood stays on hospital shelves for patients by donating at this upcoming blood drive.

Give blood in honor of Kelly Mayer: Friday, Nov. 23, Chase Bank, 5200 E. 2nd St., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Blood donation appointments for this drive can be scheduled by using the sponsor code kellym through the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, online at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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