A Full-Circle Gift: How Blood Donation Saved a Mother and Daughter

By Ashley Peterson-DeLuca

When Peachis Amadou thinks about the day her daughter was born, overwhelming gratitude comes to mind—gratitude for the strangers whose blood donations gave both of them a second chance at life.

The Grand Island mother and outreach coordinator for a local nonprofit was 26 weeks pregnant in April when she experienced a medical emergency. In severe pain, she went to the closest hospital, where doctors quickly realized she needed to be airlifted to Omaha.

Peachis Amadou with her daughter

“It was so scary. My doctor told me that if we had waited any longer to get to Omaha, we might not have made it,” recalls Amadou.

Doctors soon discovered she was experiencing massive internal bleeding. During emergency surgery, she lost nearly five liters of blood—almost the total amount in an adult's body.

As she came to after surgery, her husband shared the most amazing news.

"He told me, ‘Our baby was okay. And it was a girl.’” she says.

Their daughter, Nazzariah, weighed just 3 pounds, 1 ounce, at birth. Now three months old, she continues to grow stronger in the NICU after several surgeries and additional blood and platelet transfusions.

Looking back, Amadou is overwhelmed with gratitude.

Peachis Amadou with her family

“The donated blood truly saved both of our lives,” says Amadou. “I am very grateful to God that he saved us and so grateful for blood donations.”

Amadou has been a regular blood donor for the past several years. Blood drives hosted through her workplace made donating convenient. After learning her blood type could help patients with sickle cell disease, she made it part of her routine.

“I was sitting in the hospital watching blood being transfused into me when it came full circle. I realized that someone else's donation was saving my life and helping save my daughter's life,” says Amadou.

Today, Amadou and her family spend as much time as they can in the hospital with Nazzariah. Her three-year-old son proudly calls his baby sister his “best friend.” They can’t wait until Nazzariah, who is now 9 pounds and 13 ounces, completes her final surgery so she can go home.

Amadou will continue to give blood as soon as she’s able to again—and hopes others will consider donating blood.

Now that the American Red Cross has declared only the second national blood crisis in its history, donors need to take action immediately to help save lives.

Book an appointment to give blood now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).