A Windsor mother is asking the community to give back in a special way this Family Day.
Samar Nohra is urging any able residents to attend a blood drive at Canadian Blood Services Monday afternoon.
At 11-years-old, Nohra was diagnosed with a 1-in-a-million blood disorder and, without blood transfusions, likely wouldn't be here today to tell her story.
Nohra tells CTV Windsor, thanks to blood donors, she was able to have a family and a beautiful six-year-old daughter named Abigail.
She says she's thankful every day.
"You have no idea. I thank God every single day. When I was going through this I prayed that I would survive and one day have a family of my own. So to watch my little girl grow up and know that I'm here today because other people saved my life and gave me that chance to become a mom, to become a wife."
Nohra says until she was 14 she required regular blood transfusions to stay alive.
"My parents had to come face-to-face with the fact that they would bury their 11-year-old daughter, but by the grace of God and hundreds of people who donated to save my life, I'm here today with my own family. Something I can't thank God enough for and something that I can't thank all those donors who came out to donate blood for."
Samar Nohra is asking the community to donate blood this Family Day (Photo courtesy of CTV Windsor)
She says Abigail wants to donate when she becomes of age.
"She'll even tell me, "I can't wait to donate blood mommy. Blood donors saved your life?" and I say, "Yes, Abigail." So I hope to be here with her one day when she's old enough to do so. It's over in a second. The nurses are amazing. The techs are great here."
The Family Day blood drive takes place at Canadian Blood Services on Grand Marais Rd. E. between 3pm and 7pm.
Donors can book an appointment by visiting blood.ca, calling 1-888-2-DONATE or by using the GiveBlood app.
It's estimated half of all Canadians are fit to donate blood, but just one in 60 actually take the time to do so.
— with files from CTV Windsor's Ricardo Veneza