Russell blood donor clinic honors local family
The Russell area blood donor clinic honoured local parents who lost their newborn last January by hosting a blood donation day on Wednesday September 20 at the Russell Arena. In collaboration with the Canadian Blood Services, the clinic collected 127 units of blood, exceeding their target goal of 120 units.
Mandy Mallette and Michael Champagne lost their newborn son, Miller, on January 6, 2017 after an emergency C section 31 weeks into a standard pregnancy. Mallette suffered a Placental abruption, which prevented Miller from receiving the oxygen he needed. Only once opening Mallette up for the C Section were the doctors able to discover that she was bleeding internally. After having lost two litres of blood, Mallette was transfused with six red blood cell units, two plasma units and one unit of platelets. “I took so much blood that we want to give some back,” said Mallette. “And just raise awareness because before I needed the transfusions, it never crossed my mind to go and donate myself.”
Mallette could not donate this year, since it is protocol to wait 12 months after receiving transfusions in order to donate blood. The couple plans on holding a similar event again next year in January. “We do plan on doing something like this again in January, as close to January 6 as possible, just
La clinique de sang de la région de Russell a rendu hommage aux parents qui ont perdu leur nouveau-né en janvier dernier en organisant une journée de don de sang le mercredi 20 septembre à l’aréna de Russell. Mandy Mallette et Michael Champagne ont organisé cet évènement pour honorer leur bébé Miller, qu’ils ont perdu le 6 janvier 2017, en collaboration avec la Société canadienne du sang.
to remember Miller on his birthday and we are going to make it an annual event,” said Mallette.
The Russell area blood donor clinic received 159 potential blood donors on Wednesday, September 20 and was able to collect 127 successful units of blood. “What’s interesting is that we are usually always very successful in Russell and in Embrun – these two communities are very supportive, it’s really impressive,” said Mary Ann St. Michael, territory manager with the Canadian Blood Services.
Miller’s parents, as well as his almost six year old sister, Macy, have all been dealing with his loss in different ways. Mandy and Michael have participated in a parent bereavement program with the Roger Neilson House, in association with CHEO, in which they have been able to share their story with other parents who are also dealing with infant loss. “You don’t prepare for Les enseignants à la retraite de l’Ontario (ERO) présenteront un atelier sur la planification de la retraite, le jeudi 12 octobre vers 16 h, au Complexe J.R. Brisson, 758, rue Brébeuf, à Casselman. Les participants sont priés de libeller leur chèque à EstaRiO 45 et le poster à Carole Prévost-Gratton, 793, chemin Aurèle, Casselman, ON, K0A 1M0, Renseignements : 613-764-2897, caroleprevost@ hotmail.com. Tirage d’un iPad mini durant l’atelier. – Vicky Charbonneau this, when you’re expecting a baby, you’re getting the room ready and things like that and you don’t ever think of the opposite, of having to plan a funeral,” said Mallette. The couple leaned on each other and on the support of their family to help them get through their loss, and continue to do so as they are still coping and coming to terms with their reality.
“You realize that life is a lot more fragile and you realize that you take for granted a lot of things in your daily life and you don’t realize how lucky you are,” said Champagne. “This accident, it happened so fast to us, and knowing we don’t have our son with us now […] We take what we have now and really appreciate everything that we do together now as a family.”