Little Amelia Grace DelSesto was born to Mark and Jennifer DelSesto on February 22, 2007 at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center. All went well until Amelia started showing some unusual symptoms. She was pale, her jaundice was getting worse and the whites of her eyes were turning yellow.

Ironically, simply being formula fed helped save Amelia’s life. Formula fed babies are given two weeks to work jaundice out of their system, breast fed babies are given three. Amelia’s worried parents brought her in a day early for her two week check up and she was immediately sent for further testing. Testing revealed she was suffering from Hemolytic Anemia. Hemolytic anemia is anemia due to the abnormal breakdown of red blood cells either in the blood vessels or elsewhere in the body. It has numerous possible causes, ranging from relatively harmless to life-threatening.

Amelia received her blood transfusion at Children’s Hospital in Boston on March 11, at the tender age of two and a half weeks. As a result of this precious medicine, her blood levels are inching back up every day. Her parents were emotionally overwhlemed looking at the IV bag connected to Amelia with the words “Volunteer Donation” stamped on it. A complete stranger was saving their daughter’s life.

In June, she will go back to Children’s Hospital for additional testing. The testing will determine if her anemia was simply an unexpected neonatal incident which has now been rectified or if it is caused by an underlying medical condition.

Mark, Jennifer, Amelia and their son Christopher are very grateful for the volunteer blood donors who help patients of all ages each and every day.

Red Cross blood donors help patients just like Amelia in cities and towns throughout New England and across the United States. Please….give blood.

Patient Stories