James and Kimberly Van Der Beek have urged fans to donate blood, a year on from their "brutal" pregnancy loss

She wrote on Instagram: "Tomorrow, Nov 17th marks one year after I was taken to the hospital after a 17-week miscarriage put my life on the line,” she wrote. “It took two hours to stabilize me. My life was saved by blood donors and hospital staff.

“Tomorrow, Nov. 17th also marks the due date of a baby I met far too early as I had another miscarriage at 17 weeks along, June 14th. Blood transfusions saved my life a second time.(sic)"

Kimberly then urged those who are "healthy and motivated" to consider blood donation as soon as they can.

She continued: “We are getting into the holidays and there’s been a lot of distress in the world.

“If you’re healthy and motivated, please consider donating blood tomorrow or sometime soon. Please share far and wide and let’s fill those blood banks up for the holidays. THANK YOU DONORS!!! (sic)"

James also asked for blood donors as he shared his wife's post.

He wrote on his Instagram Story: "Today is the one year anniversary of a brutal pregnancy loss… Please consider donating blood…. It saved @vanderkimberly’s life.(sic)"

Kimberly - who has children Olivia, 10, Joshua, eight, Annabel, six, Emilia, four, and Gwendolyn, two, with James - recently revealed she and her husband had named the two sons they tragically lost during pregnancy.

She said: “I was told I was going to have the miscarriage a few minutes before it happened. I was told I was going to have to go to the hospital a few minutes before they had to make the decision. After the foetus came out, I was told exactly where to bury it. … So we have two foetuses in our mama plant. We named them John and Zachariah.”