A MUM whose infant son needed a life-saving blood transfusion is backing an NHS drive to boost the number of donors.

Teacher Steph Davis, 39, gave birth to her son Aiden at Winchester Hospital. 

Soon after the delivery, the newborn needed a life-saving blood transfusion.

Alfie's mother’s blood had crossed the placenta and reacted against his own blood, which destroyed his red cells. 

Steph, from Eastleigh, said: "There was a battle going on in Aiden’s blood. We were told the only way he could survive was with a full-blood exchange.

"He was a newborn. I’d only held him a couple of times, and within a few hours was told this was the only way to save him."Daily Echo:

Aidan, now three, was immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Southampton General Hospital for emergency care.

His treatment included phototherapy and neonatal red cell exchange.

Steph added: "This outstanding team of consultants, doctors, nurses, and support staff were true heroes as they saved our little boy’s life and gave us the best possible care to ensure we could bring him home.

"However, their achievements would not have been possible without the selfless generosity of blood donors, who in our eyes are the unknown heroes of Aiden's story."

Steph is now supporting the NHS blood donor recruitment drive.

More than 1,000 blood donors are needed in Southampton to fight next year's donation shortage. 

NHS Blood and Transplant is urging residents to give blood as 1,500 new donors are needed in the region. 

Nationally, one million more blood donors are needed over the next five years to ensure patients receive the right type of blood to save and improve their lives. 

The call-out for donors comes ahead of World Blood Donor Day.

There is a particular urgency for more donors of Black African and Black Caribbean ethnicities to treat people with sickle cell.

Stephen Cornes, Director of Blood Supply at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "We urgently need new Black African and Black Caribbean donors to come forward and donate blood.

"As the NHS treats more patients, we need to increase the total number of donors too."

To book an appointment, visit: blood.co.uk, or call 0300 123 23 23.