From The Tribune staff reports
MOODY — LifeSouth invites the community to save lives and raise awareness in honor of mothers who have experienced AFE (amniotic fluid embolism) during a blood drive on Saturday, July 23.
The drive will be held at the Moody High School gym, located at 714 High School Drive, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Donors will receive a custom AFE LifeSouth t-shirt and will have the opportunity to purchase shaved ice from Turner Shaved Ice.
AFE is a rare but serious condition that occurs when the amniotic fluid that surrounds a baby in the womb enters the mother’s bloodstream.
Local mother Katie Talley Dawson suffered AFE during childbirth in 2018. She required numerous blood transfusions in addition to plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate to save her life. This is Dawson’s fourth year partnering with LifeSouth to organize a blood drive to help raise awareness of AFE and the need for blood donation in our community.
Donors must be at least 17 (16 with parental permission), weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health. A photo ID is also required. For more information on donating blood, call toll-free 888-795-2707 or visit lifesouth.org.