Leah

LEAH’s Story: BlESSING IN THE END

Towards childbirth, Leah discovered she was suffering from Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP).

"Usually there's a blessing that comes with us fighting and struggling...there's always a blessing on the other side."
- Leah Westerkamp

Growing up in a family that valued blood donation, Leah's father was a longtime donor. And Leah had even donated blood and platelets herself. But she never imagined that, one day, she would be the person needing those lifesaving gifts.

After a healthy pregnancy, Leah began experiencing severe fatigue, back pain, and other issues just days before her due date. 

"I started to feel it maybe five days before my baby was born. A huge change in symptoms."

When she went to the emergency room, tests revealed a rare and life-threatening condition called Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy (AFLP), affecting only about 1 in 20,000 pregnancies. Her liver and kidneys were failing, her blood counts were dangerously abnormal, and she was told she needed to deliver her baby immediately.

"It was almost every lab that could be off was off. It's like this huge long list."

Leah underwent an emergency C-section and received platelet transfusions to help control bleeding. Due to the severity of her illness, she spent time in intensive care at Broadlawns in Des Moines, and was later transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she remained hospitalized for a week. Much of that time is a blur, as she experienced an altered state and other complications. Her newborn son also faced health concerns but ultimately recovered.

"My baby is completely fine. And yeah, he's smiling and talking now!"

Separated from her husband and newborn during those critical first days of motherhood, Leah relied on the compassion of countless healthcare workers, and platelet donors that she never met. The experience changed her perspective, teaching her the importance of accepting help and recognizing how seemingly small acts of service can profoundly impact someone's life.

Now fully recovered, Leah shares her story to help others understand the importance of donation. Having once donated blood and platelets herself, she now knows first-hand that those donations reach real people facing real emergencies.

"I always saw myself as someone who helps others. It was humbling to realize that I needed help too. The platelets I received helped save my life. I want people to know that when they donate, there is a person on the other end whose life may depend on it."