WITHOUT blood donors this idyllic family scene would not have been possible.

For after Becky Boxhall gave birth to her second child happiness turned to horror as medics raced to save the young mum’s life.

Complications with her placenta following the arrival of baby Miriam caused the 24- year-old from Southampton to lose a fatal amount of blood within minutes.

If it had not been for the four pints of donated blood that were pumped back into her body her two daughters would have been left without their mum.

So Becky and her husband Alex, who have had two more children since that drama in 2005, are backing the Daily Echo’s Gift of Life Appeal to recruit 1,000 donors to help save 3,000 lives this summer.

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Becky knows only too well how blood can mean the difference between life and death, having lost 70 per cent of her blood after her placenta failed to come away naturally during birth.

Surgeons were called in and began trying to pull it away but when it did eventually release she lost six units of blood and could feel her life slipping away.

Becky, now 28, from Weston, said: “It was really frightening.

I could feel myself becoming weak and cold but as soon as I received the first blood transfusion the effect was instant and I began feeling better.

“If it was not for those blood transfusions I would not be here today. There would have been two young children without a mum and a young dad left to bring up two daughters on his own.”

Now Becky, Alex and their children Emily, 5, Miriam, 4, Naomi, 3 and nine-month-old Judah cannot stress enough how important it is to give blood.

“It really does make the difference between life and death and I am so thankful to those people who donate because without them I would have died that day”, added Becky.

“This campaign is a really great idea. We need to get as much blood as possible.

There are a lot of people out there who are able to donate and they should be making the effort to do so.

“You do not realise what a life saving thing giving blood is until it is the life of someone you love at risk. You shouldn’t leave it until it is too late, sign up today.”

Will you help to save a life?

ARE you going to make a pledge and join the Daily Echo’s Gift of Life appeal?

Maybe you’ve never felt compelled to give blood until now, or maybe you are a regular donor who has a special reason that makes you donate blood regularly? We want to hear your stories as we continue our campaign to save 3,000 lives.

Call our reporter Melanie Adams on 023 8061 4271 or email melanie.adams@dailyecho.co.uk.