Blood donors saved my daughter's life, says Wirral mum A MOTHER whose baby was born with two holes in her heart spoke this week about the importance of giving blood.Claire Fitzsimmons, of Wallasey, said without the pint of blood used during her daughter Evie’s major heart operation in June 2008, she dreads to think what would have happened.
The two-year-old was born with congenital heart disease and spent the first few months of her life being taken back and forth to hospital.
When doctors finally realised Evie had a serious heart condition it became clear that she would need major surgery to save her life.
Claire said: “This period of our lives was awful.
“Evie had major surgery at Alder Hey Hospital last June and doctors are 95% sure she won’t need any more operations.
“Without blood donations however this surgery couldn’t have been successful.
“She needed a pint of a rhesus-negative type blood, which is one of the rarest types of blood.
“I don’t even want to think about what would have happened to her if there had been no blood available.”
Claire is now adamant that she is going to start giving blood even though she is petrified of needles.
The single mum said: “I feel like I owe that blood back to somebody now.
“I am scared of giving it but after being in this situation with Evie I’m determined to get over my fear.
“What is fear, when giving blood can actually save somebody’s life?”
Since Evie’s diagnosis, Claire has also become involved with the Children’s Heart Association.
The self-employed hairdresser said: “Some of the children I’ve met through the charity may not survive, but like Evie they mostly all need blood to have operations that could potentially save their lives.”
l If you want to find out more information about Evie’s condition visit
www.heartchild.info.
