'It was a miracle': motherly love on display in Sask. blood drive

A Regina mother describes the eight-month wait to find a bone marrow donor for her son as "terrifying," and says he only survived thanks to blood donors. Now,she and a Saskatoon woman have joined withCanadian Blood Services to encourage people to help other kids like her son.

For eight months leading up to a bone marrow transplant, Erica Honoway'sson Lincoln, now four years old,survived on 28 platelet transfusions and 11 blood transfusions after he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia adeficiency of all types of blood cells caused by failure of bone marrow developmentin 2016.

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Honoway said she had trouble sleeping, andshe felt tense andscared leading up to the day when doctors told her they found a match for her son.

"Until we actually had word that we had a donor, it was terrifying."

Despite having three other siblings who typically would be the best chance at match, there were only two matches for Lincoln in the databases searched, Honoway said.

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"It was a miracle that they found one. We were told that there was a pretty good chance but until we got the word, we couldn't relax," she recalled as she spoke with media at Canadian Blood Services in Regina on Wednesday.

She spoke as part of ablood drive which isintended to celebrate Mother's Day and Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation by gathering 150 donors of platelets and blood in each of Saskatoon and Regina.

With Mother's Day approaching, Honoway said she is grateful for her children.

"Every time I set out four plates at supper, or I fill four drinks with milk, I think how lucky am I that I still have all of them,"she said.

Honoway andJannaDutton in Saskatoon have teamed up with Canadian Blood Services for the campaign, which is aimed at helping children in need.

Dutton required a blood transfusion after a miscarriage and is encouraging people to donate in support of mothers who have been impacted by the need for blood.

Anyone between the age of 17 and 35 is encouraged to get tested for eligibility for platelet and blood donations. Honoway said it only costs people time to get a kit, swab some saliva samples and send it in to Canadian Blood Services.

Those interested in donating can visit the CBS website to find out more.