AS ANGELA Ajadi cuddles her young son today she knows she owes her life to someone who took the time to give blood.The 35-year-old almost died when she lost several litres of blood after complications set in during the traumatic birth of her second child and she needed a vital transfusion.

AS ANGELA Ajadi cuddles her young son today she knows she owes her life to someone who took the time to give blood.

The 35-year-old almost died when she lost several litres of blood after complications set in during the traumatic birth of her second child and she needed a vital transfusion.

Her experience shows just how important it is for people to give blood and help save someone's life.

Mrs Ajadi admits that she has always meant to give blood but never got round to it.

However as she has now had first hand experience of how important donations are, she has begun to give talks to encourage people to take part.

She added: “The blood I received without doubt saved my life. I will always be eternally grateful to those people who gave their blood to help me - they are heroes.”

Mrs Ajadi's nightmare began when she went into labour eight weeks early with her second son Jonell last September.

Unable to give birth at Ipswich Hospital as there were no special care baby beds available at the time she was taken to the James Paget hospital in Gorleston.

As the newly born baby was whisked off to the special care baby unit Mrs Ajadi was plunging into a nightmare and desperately needed the blood to save her life after she lost three litres.

The mother of two said: “The birth was terrifying and I lost a huge amount of blood.

My whole body was shaking, I felt freezing cold, and I honestly thought I was dying. It was terrifying.”

Mrs Ajadi, a medical representative who lives in the Castle Hill area of Ipswich, had suffered several complications throughout her pregnancy but when she started to suffer pains eight weeks before her due date, she did not realise she was going into premature labour.

She said: “When Jonnell was born, he wasn't breathing so they had to resuscitate him. I was more concerned about him than me but after about two minutes, he started crying.

“At the time I did not know how much blood I was losing. I didn't know why I couldn't stop shaking.”

She was rushed into the operating theatre and then hooked up to a drip where she was given blood over the next 24 hours.

After a couple of days, Jonnell was transferred to Ipswich Hospital where he stayed for a further three and a half weeks.

Now, at eight months old, he is doing very well, along with his four-year-old brother Jaydyn, who was also born eight weeks early.

Have you survived something dramatic and want to tell your tale? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

Gareth Bell, spokesman for the National Blood Service in Suffolk, said: “Every time you roll up your sleeves to give you could help up to three people at their greatest time of need and all it takes is one hour of your time. Please think seriously about becoming a donor as you just never know when you might need it.”

Currently stocks are healthy but they will fall over the Bank Holiday weekend and more donors are now needed.

For more information about how to give blood or to donate at a session, call the Donor Helpline on 0845 7 711711 or visit www.blood.co.uk

Blood is needed for mother or baby in around one in ten pregnancies

The National Blood Service must collect 7,000 units of blood across England and north Wales each day. Some 70,000 units are needed each year for mothers and babies on maternity wards.

In most cases anyone aged 17 to 59, who weighs over seven stone 12lb (50kg) and is in general good health can give blood. Regular donors can donate up until their 70th birthday.

There are several blood donation sessions taking place over the next few weeks. To find out locations, dates and times, visit the NBS website.