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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Alahna Kindred

Tourist who sliced arm open on glass door saved by fiancee's Facebook appeal for blood

An Australian tourist who slipped and fell into a swimming pool's glass door has been saved after his fiancee's desperate Facebook appeal for blood.

Josh Ward, 29, needed B-negative blood after he sliced an artery open in his upper arm when he slipped on tiles and crashed through the glass door in Bali, Indonesia.

He had been staying at the Denpasar hotel and playing with friends in the pool at the time.

Bali currently has a blood shortage and didn't have any of Josh's type.

His fiancee Chantelle Gschwend then put a desperate call out on Facebook for donors as Josh lay dying in a bed at Sanglah Hospital.

She wrote: "URGENT!!! We're in Bali and need an emergency blood transfusion.

Josh slipped on tiles and crashed through a glass door while on holiday in Bali (Facebook)

"Is anyone -B and able to donate blood?? Please message we are currently at prof ngoerah hospital."

Tourists soon swamped the hospital to donate blood and save Josh's life.

Chantelle later told Adelaide Now : "It was so nice seeing another Aussie help and it really gave me hope that everything was going to be okay and we would be able to get back to Australia."

She described the accident as a "murder scene", adding there was so much blood around the pool.

This is one of Chantelle's Facebook posts (Facebook)

She said one of their friends happened to be a nurse and helped to tie a shirt around the wound to stop circulation.

Josh was first taken to BIMC Hospital before he was moved to Sanglah Hospital where he underwent surgery for seven-and-a-half hours.

Chantelle then said things took a turn for the worse when there was no B-negative blood available for the necessary transfusion.

Her latest update on Facebook said that so many people came to the hospital that they had to be turned away.

She also said that Josh had received enough blood and he was doing well.

Chantelle wrote: "Thank you to everyone who has donated / commented / shared / messaged.

"I have been told that more Aussie’s have tried to donate at their blood, but the blood bank are turning them away because they have already received enough blood!

"Wow I cannot believe it I am so grateful thankyou so much I can’t believe the power of social media we are incredibly overwhelmed for the support from everyone.

"We are currently on the 3rd transfusion.

"It would be 6th bag all up Josh is doing really good he can’t thank you all enough."

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