Mother, Daughter Meet Lifesaving Blood Donors

DENVER (CBS4)- Blood donors seldom get to meet the patients they help but on Thursday dozens of donors met a young mother and her child, whose lives were saved thanks to their generosity.

Cassidy Smith needed 270 units of blood when she delivered her daughter, Ann Claire, four years ago.

Ann Claire had some heart issues during delivery and then Cassidy had major complications. The blood she received came from 300 different people.

"I have thought about them often," said Cassidy.

On Thursday, Cassidy and her daughter met the donors and had the opportunity to say "Thank you."

"It's a lot of people who gave of themselves, their blood, not even expecting to meet the individual," said Cassidy.

"Then I say, 'Thank you,' and I like them and they say, 'Thank you,'" said Ann Claire.

"It's amazing, truly amazing and to get to see the child is really great," said blood donor Vicki Martin.