Carrie Bickmore suffered a major health scare 10 days after giving birth.

Earlier this month, Carrie Bickmore hosted a segment on The Project about the UNICEF campaign #DonateYourDinner, which aims to help the 26 million children in Eastern and Southern Africa whose lives are at risk due to a severe food crisis.

While she passionately urged people to donate, saying that a little can go a long way towards changing a life, it was obvious this particular issue struck a chord with the 35-year-old mum-of-two.

Now, we know why.

Speaking to Marie Claire on Monday, Bickmore explained that it was health complications following childbirth that made her acutely aware of the plight of people in developing countries.

“I had a severe haemorrhage 10 days after the birth of my son Oliver,” she said.

“If had I not been able to head straight to a hospital and have an operation and blood transfusions, I would have died.”

School holidays are done and dusted…oh how I am going to miss watching these two be ridiculously cute together #siblings #holidays #love ????

A photo posted by Carrie Bickmore (@bickmorecarrie) on Jul 10, 2016 at 4:33am PDT

“Women in the developing world do not have this available to them.”

“Maternal and neo-natal tetanus is one of the highest reasons for mortality in developing countries,” Bickmore continued. “So when UNICEF asked me to be involved in a maternal and neo-natal program they were running, I jumped at the chance and have continued to support them since.”

Through her work with UNICEF, she’s been able to see how “a few dollars can provide a safe birthing kit for mums with sterile mats and scissors which would mean mums and their babies had a much better chance at life.”

“A few dollars can vaccinate a child, and give them a better chance at staying healthy and staying alive,” she said.

Like many of us, Bickmore says she’s often felt “like the problem was too big”, and that “no little donation … could solve the huge problems” millions face around the world.

“We can all feel helpless sometimes,” she said. “The problem feels too big, but I would rather feel helpful than helpless.”

Listen to Carrie Bickmore speak to Mia Freedman on No Filter here.

That’s why she’s such a big supporter of #DonateYourDinner.

UNICEF asks people to share a photo of their finished dinner plate on Instagram, along with the hashtag #DonateYourDinner, while donating the cost of their dinner here.

Indeed, it goes some way towards feeding children who, through no fault of their own, don’t know where – or when – they’ll get their next meal.