Fourteen years ago, Carina gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Amalia. But moments after delivery, a sudden hemorrhage put her life at risk. Her placenta tore and she began to bleed uncontrollably.

“I felt cold from the inside… in and out of consciousness,” she recalls.

Carina needed eight units of blood and platelets (almost a full body’s worth) to survive. Thanks to generous blood donors, she made a full recovery.

“Those donors are unsung heroes,” Carina says. “Because of them, I’m here for my kids and more committed than ever to giving back.”