From birth to 8 years of age I had many bouts of pneumonia and other illnesses. I saw many doctors and had many tests. They told my parents to go for a walk and have a good cry because I was going to die.
My doctor said she wanted to try one last thing. She gave me IV Immunoglobulin. My body reacted well and after a month of treatments every day it was clear that this is what my body needed.
My Doctor finally diagnosed me with Combined Immune Deficiency. I continued treatments every two weeks and then once a month. For 40 years I have been getting this treatment and will continue until I pass. This treatment allows me to have an amazingly normal life. I would not be alive today without the generous donations of blood and plasma.
To add to my story I have had two children who have inherited this disease and require the same treatments. They started when they were 4 and now my daughter is 20 and my son is 17. We have been on this journey together and grown stronger knowing we have this treatment. We hope there will never be a shortage of plasma because we need this treatment to continue to live.
Thank you to all the donors of plasma, you are giving something very meaningful to us. Life.
