Mrs Wade and her youngest son Sam, 3, owe their lives together and health, to the kindness of strangers who rolled up their sleeve to help someone they’d never meet.

Mrs Wade has had two life-saving transfusions, while Sam required one at only two months old. 

“After Sam was born, it was near Christmas and I was sitting with my my husband Adrian just amazed,” she said.

“We were there with our three kids and he realised he could have been single father – without medical intervention I could have died.”

As a mother, midwife and nurse Mrs Wade has seen firsthand the importance of blood donations.

Mrs Wade had her first transfusion after giving birth to her older son Tom, now 5, and another after Sam’s birth. 

She said in both cases she suffered a postpartum haemorrhage. 

“When Tom was born 2010 lost 1.5 litres of blood, so I received a couple units,” she said.

“After Sam I lost three litres and was much sicker, I ended up intubated and ventilated and sent to Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne.

“I received blood and plasma, it would have been more than eight units plus fresh frozen plasma.”

Mrs Wade’s pregnancy with Tom left c-antibodies in her blood that affected Sam during her pregnancy. 

“They're a bit like Pac-Man and ate Sam's red blood-cells,” she said. “He became really iron deficient and need a blood transfusion.

“Ultimately without people donating I would have died and certainly Sam's quality of life would have been lessened.

“As a two-month-old with low iron store and hemoglobin, he was struggling to breathe, he was pale and his heart had to work hard to get oxygen around body.”

Four years later the pair are full of life – Mrs Wade ran a marathon this year and Sam is growing into a cheeky child. 

The Red Cross Mobile Donor Centre is in Horsham until September 9 with appointments still available. 

Mrs Wade called on Wimmera residents to be brave, make the trip to Horsham and donate.

“It changes peoples lives, it saves lives and it mads a massive difference to Sam's quality of life,” she said.

“If you are eligible and able – it’s fantastic gift you can give to people.”