By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

Editor’s Note: Jennifer Koerber passed away 16 days after this story was posted. We mourn her loss, and hope her story of strength and resilience inspires others to donate blood.

Jennifer Koerber first knew something was wrong last year when she would catch her son’s colds and it would take a long time to recover. Then, the Monroe County, Michigan woman began having severe fatigue, pale lips and gums, a rapid heart rate, and she would even pass out sometimes. She discovered what she was experiencing were the symptoms of aplastic anemia, a condition where not enough red blood cells are being produced by the body for it to function normally. Red blood cells are essential for carrying oxygen to the organs and other parts of the body. She required a blood transfusion to bring her hemoglobin levels back to a normal level during her first hospital stay.

It took many more months of visiting different doctors and hospitals before she finally got her diagnosis, Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). AML is a type of leukemia that affects blood cell production in the bone marrow. Large numbers of abnormal cells called myeloblasts are created in the bone marrow, which in turn crowd out red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells that are normally found in the bloodstream. This leads to an array of symptoms, including a weakened immune system, anemia, bruising, shortness of breath, weakness and bleeding.

During her treatment over the past year and a half, Jennifer was reliant on blood transfusions to replace the missing blood components that her body can no longer efficiently make.

“I do rely on the American Red Cross,” Jennifer said while receiving treatment. “I am transfusion dependent, meaning I cannot live without receiving blood.”

Due to chemotherapy and the nature of AML, Jennifer relied on infusions of packed red blood cells and platelets to keep her blood levels in check.

Jennifer encouraged people to donate blood.

“I really urge people to know that it’s not just about donating money … you could simply donate blood to save a life, and it’s free,” Jennifer said. “Also, there’s a misconception about where the help goes, because there are multiple things the Red Cross does to help people, not just in disasters. They help local people who are transfusion dependent for blood.”

Schedule an appointment or find a local blood drive near you by visiting redcrossblood.org or by downloading the Red Cross blood donor app.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross Volunteer