Lauren Ward Larsen

From the Brink of Death to Blood Donation Champion

Lauren Ward Larsen was struck with a near-fatal illness and received massive blood transfusions to save her life.

Within days, Lauren's liver and kidneys failed, causing her weight to skyrocket to 270 pounds — 110 pounds over her normal weight — due to the fluids and toxins that were collecting inside her.

At age 37, Lauren Ward Larsen had the world by the tail. She had an accomplished career as a marketing executive, a loving husband and was pregnant with their first child. In addition, she was a strong, healthy marathon runner who had never had so much as a broken bone.

 

A life-changing moment

But all that changed on March 2, 2000, three weeks before her baby's due date. Lauren's husband, Jeff, came home in the middle of the day to check on her, simply acting on his intuition. He found Lauren more uncomfortable than usual, and insisted on bringing her to see her doctor. The Larsens were informed that their baby's heartbeat was "in distress" and that she had only a few hours to live. She needed to be delivered immediately by cesarean section.

The night her daughter, Clare, was born, Lauren's blood pressure dropped dangerously low four times, requiring immediate blood transfusions and another surgical procedure. The surgery confirmed that nothing had been overlooked during the C-section. But that also meant that there was no explanation for why her blood serum continued to seep uncontrollably from her vessels and veins into her abdomen.

 

From medical catastrophe to miraculous recovery

This was just the beginning of what would become a five-week nightmare in the intensive care unit of California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

Within a week, she was a "status one" on the liver transplant list for the northwest region of the country, which meant she would likely not survive the next 48 hours without a new liver. Lauren then slipped in and out of consciousness for several days. Next, she had a grand mal seizure and slipped into a brief coma.

All told, Lauren spent six weeks in the hospital, underwent three surgeries and spent four weeks on kidney dialysis. She required more than 200 units of blood and blood components. Upon her release from the hospital, immediate challenges included re-learning how to walk, how to eat and even how to breathe deeply, and she was told full recovery would take at least a year. In addition, Lauren had the challenge of reuniting with her infant daughter, who had spent her first two months living 400 miles away with her aunt and uncle.

 

Blood Donation Awareness Becomes Personal Mission

Because of her miraculous recovery, Lauren had an overwhelming desire to thank the two hundred-plus anonymous blood donors without whom she would not be alive. Lauren has since made it her mission to encourage and promote blood donation, building awareness of the increasingly critical need for new, repeat and regular donors of this vital substance.

Lauren's background in marketing proved valuable, as she launched a campaign to raise 500 units of blood and $50,000 for the San Francisco nonprofit blood bank and its national affiliate. Using the 2001 New York Marathon as her fundraising and blood drive vehicle, Lauren and Jeff raised more than $37,000 and 530 units of blood — and completed the marathon.

In her role as blood donation activist, Lauren has appeared in public service announcements, speaks at numerous service organization and blood banking meetings and has testified before an FDA committee regarding the U.S. blood supply. She is currently working on a memoir about her life-changing medical trauma, as well as a book featuring the stories of other fortunate blood recipients. A percentage of royalties from both projects will be donated to the Foundation for America's Blood Centers to further the cause of blood donor recruitment.

Lauren was awarded the America's Blood Centers' 2001 Larry Frederick Award for her tireless campaigning to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation.

 

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