Every Random Acts of Kindness Day, Rotorua's Amanda Woywode remembers the two women who saved her life.
Mrs Woywode nearly died just over eight years ago when she gave birth to her eldest child Brooke.
She said if it wasn't for the leadership, quick thinking and surgery performed by her obstetrician, she
or her daughter may not have made it.
Mrs Woywode was 35 weeks pregnant when she got pre-eclampsia - a disorder which only occurs during pregnancy and can be fatal.
Affecting at least five to eight per cent of all pregnancies, pre-eclampsia is a rapidly progressive condition characterised by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Some of the symptoms are swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision.
Mrs Woywode said she started to swell up but thought nothing of it, putting it down to something normal that happened during pregnancy. A few weeks later she was in Rotorua Hospital being induced at 35 weeks and her daughter Brooke was born five weeks premature.
"She came out blue, not breathing due to a lack of oxygen."
Mrs Woywode was bleeding profusely, and hospital staff put blankets between her legs to try and stop the bleeding before rushing her into surgery.
"I had two blood transfusions while I was in ICU, I lost so much blood."
Mrs Woywode's husband Mark said staff told him he may have to make the choice between his wife or baby daughter surviving.
"I'm glad I didn't have to make that choice," Mr Woywode said.
Mrs Woywode said if it wasn't for the leadership, quick thinking and surgery performed by obstetrician Shona Stubbs, she or her daughter may not have been alive today.
Ms Stubbs, as well as a hospital midwife named Trish, saved their lives.
The Woywodes think of what those two women did for them almost every day and particularly days like Random Acts of Kindness Day.
"They went out of their way to make sure we survived. They went way above the call of duty," Mrs Woywode said.
Mrs Woywode said people should do nice things for each other all the time and not just leave it for Random Acts of Kindness Day.
"I'm a strong believer in karma - what you give out will come back to you."
Meanwhile, a man walked off the street out of the blue on Tuesday and dropped off morning tea to the staff at Rotorua Primary School.
The school contacted The Daily Post about the man's random act of kindness.
The man did not want to be named as he said it was his random act of kindness. Staff at the school appreciated what the man had done for them and as a result had a lovely morning tea.
As part of Random Act of Kindness Day, The Daily Post surprised four people with a free coffee. We then asked them how they felt about the act.
- I think it's a really nice thing to do. The first thing you do is you look around to see who has done it. It's not something that happens every day. PETER WILSON Lake Okareka
- It's really nice to receive something free but it is also nice to give something to someone else. JILL MARSHALL Hillcrest
- It's sort of out of the blue but it's nice. GRANT WILLIAMS Pukehangi
- I felt special. GINA WELLS Kawaha Point
