‘Exhausted supplies’: Aussie mum-of-two desperately seeking ultra-rare blood donor for urgent open-heart surgery

Adelaide mum Amira, 37, has a blood kind so uncommon only one in 10,000 folks may be a match, a determine officers say has prompted them to look abroad, after doubtlessly “exhausting Australian supplies”.

The 37-year-old stays in hospital as Lifeblood, with the Australian Red Cross, hunt to supply 20 luggage of blood that the mum would require earlier than, throughout and after her surgical procedure.

Any O or A blood donor in Australia – or internationally – may very well be a match.

“Most people will be either O or A blood type, but Amira has a rare combination of other blood types that need to be matched, which means any donor with O or A blood type might prove to be a perfect match,” Lifeblood Medical Director Dr James Daly stated.

“We have identified a few suitable donors, but this mum will require a large number of units to see her through her surgery and finding as many donors as we can with the right blood type will ensure we can meet her transfusion needs both now and, in the future.

“We’ve exhausted Australian provides of this uncommon blood kind and we’re now working with worldwide blood companies to seek for potential donors.

“We hope to receive a small number of units from overseas but for Amira’s surgery to proceed safely at least 15 donors with the same rare combination of blood types are still needed within the next few weeks.”

Daly inspired Aussies who assume they are a match to “book a donation over the coming week”, with all donated blood set to be “tested to identify donations that will undergo further screening to find a suitable match.”

Amira’s husband Ahmed echoed Daly’s sentiment and thanked those that had already donated. 

“We are so grateful to family, friends and the wonderful people in the community, many of whom we do not know, who have heard about Amira’s plight and have rolled up a sleeve to donate blood,” he stated.

“I urge as many people as possible across the country with O and A blood to donate blood this week, so we can find more donors to help Amira.

“This is just not a state of affairs you ever look forward to finding your self in. Any assist or help is far appreciated.”

To be a match for Amira a donor’s blood type must be “O” or “A”.

If a donor does not know their blood type, they should still donate to see if they are a possible match, Lifeblood says.