Jennifer Cornthwaite, 32, was unaware of her very rare blood condition and could have died a few months ago if the blood transfusion unit had not found blood donors from the Netherlands and the UK.

She developed severe postpartum haemorrhage after having her third child, when it transpired she had developed a rare blood type found only in 0.04 per cent of the world’s population.

What followed was a desperate, and ultimately successful search, locally and overseas, for a donor in case she needed an urgent blood transfusion.

But the provision of blood from overseas can take 24 hours – too late in some cases.

Ms Cornthwaite has joined campaigns for blood donations and specialised freezers to preserve blood and renews her appeals today, Rare Disease Day.

Read about her story in The Times.