By David Olejarz, regional communications director

On May 5, Alea Hewson will mark the day like she has done every year for as long as she can remember. She will compose a personal message to her work colleagues and Facebook followers that recounts her near-fatal accident when she was a toddler and the 13 blood transfusions that saved her life.

She will end the message with a simple ask: If you are eligible to give blood, to do so by making an appointment with the American Red Cross.

“You never know when someone will need blood for an emergency situation,” said Hewson, one of the newest members of the Red Cross Mid-Michigan Chapter Board of Directors.

The accident happened just weeks before Hewson’s third birthday. She was waiting in her stroller parked by the front door in her family’s home in California. Next to her sitting on a table was a container of hot coffee. The family was preparing to head to a Cinco de Mayo parade at her brother’s school.

Like most inquisitive toddlers, Hewson reached for the container with the intent of holding it in her lap for the stroller ride. Instead, the weight of the container and the hot liquid inside was too much to handle and it spilled all over her, causing third-degree burns.

At the hospital, Hewson’s survival was touch and go. On top of requiring multiple skin grafts, the hospital didn’t have enough blood on the shelves to care for Hewson. At that point, Hewson’s mother rallied friends and neighbors to come to the hospital and make a blood donation to help her young daughter.

Blood transfusions are critical to treating anemia in burn victims because their body is unable to produce red blood cells.

“Without those people (donating), I would not be here,” Hewson said.

When she was eligible to donate blood herself, Hewson did so for the first time in college. It was the first of many donations to come. Last month, she reached the four-gallon milestone at her board’s sponsored blood drive.

“When I started, I wanted to donate 13 times just to represent those 13 blood transfusions I had,” she said. “I wanted to replace what people had done for me. Then, I just wanted to continue donating as much as I could, to be that support when someone else needed it. And I encourage others to come with me as well.

“It’s something easy to do. If you’re able to, why not.”