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September 23, 2010

10-year-old Emily Smith is encouraging everyone out there to donate blood. After all, blood donations helped to save her life.

At 18 months old, doctors told Emily's mother, Mary Smith, that she would not survive her diagnosis of Neuroblastoma -- a type of cancer that attacks the nerves.

But eight years later, Emily "shows off her collection of angels," reports the Nacogdoches, TX local ABC station KTRE.

"They gave her no chance, no chance for survival. She was 90 percent full of cancer. I was told to call a priest," said Mary -- who refused to give up, and kept fighting.

Before Emily turned 2, she was well-enough for a life saving stem cell transplant. "She cured herself," said Mary. "They were able to take her bone marrow, her blood, her plasma, cleaned it, and stored it back in her body."

"It was blood that saved her life. So that's why I give to save others, others lives," Mary said. "You don't want to hear another child has passed from Cancer, or an adult."

Emily says, "I was young and I don't remember but I think I still know that I'm a miracle because my mom's been pretty much bragging about that," adding that donating blood will "save people's lives and they'll be happy and live happily ever after."

To learn more about donating blood go to the American Red Cross donations page.

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