Billy and Jennifer's story

Jennifer’s dad and long time platelet donor Billy would like to thank blood donors for the life saving transfusions she received when she was born.

"I have given blood since I was 18 and my wife Ann, who is a retired former nurse at Glasgow Donor Centre, used to donate blood until Jennifer was born. 

"When Jennifer was born she was very ill with a condition called haemolytic disease of the newborn. This was caused by an incompatibility in mine and my wife’s blood groups (I’m O+ and my wife Ann is O-) - thankfully these days this condition is rare.  Her colour was grey with a horrible blue tinge, and over the next few hours her condition deteriorated so much that at one point doctors doubted she would survive.

"Eventually she improved enough to have an exchange blood transfusion. The first transfusion didn’t help to improve her condition and she required a second exchange transfusion. Thankfully this worked and Jennifer began to stabilise but over the next few weeks, the antibody that had caused the problem continued to be present in her system and at six weeks old she needed yet another transfusion of blood.

"After this, at long last she began to put on weight and to develop just like any other healthy baby.

"Jennifer is getting married next year and this story is being told at the wedding to encourage people to give blood.”

• Find out where you can give blood by looking up our session searcher