Would You Share The Cure?

by Charles Brian Conn

It seems like a difficult time for a lot of people, a time when good news can seem few and far between. And whereas our best news, the Good News, is ever present, no matter our circumstances, I’d like to spread some other good news related to the COVID-19 pandemic. You might wonder, what could possibly be good about that? We don’t have a vaccine yet, and it has caused so much harm!

But this good news isn’t really new; it’s just that many people don’t know about it. I think if they did, they’d take action. Here it is: People who have recovered from COVID-19, even ones who didn’t have symptoms, are effectively carrying the cure around in their blood and, if they shared it, could save the lives of people who are in dire straits.

Call me reckless for oversimplifying it in that way, but people are dying right now, so I’ll risk that to get your attention. Plus, if I started by saying, “Donate convalescent plasma,” I’d say people are less likely to read it. It sounds too medical, like something that doesn’t concern normal people like us.

If I’m not a health care professional, why am I the one telling you this? Well, I had COVID-19 after a trip in March, along with Kelly, my wife. Neither of us was in bad condition, so we couldn’t get tested back then. Three weeks later, we had positive antibody tests.

In June, the Chattanooga newspaper published a story about convalescent plasma, saying it was being used to help save people’s lives, Blood Assurance was collecting it locally, and they badly needed donors. So I called them. They told me they were running out of it every day. I told them I wanted to donate, and they said I couldn’t because of my heart (another story), but my wife might be able to. My wife made her first donation here in Cleveland on Friday, July 3. She told me I could tell you. She already received a letter from Blood Assurance thanking her and requesting that she ask those she was in close contact with to consider donating. But I read the paper. I know there are people out there in Cleveland who have it, already recovered from it, or think they may have had it. So that’s why I’m telling you. 32 // October 2020

And now Mayor Brooks has confirmed the value of convalescent plasma after his ordeal, encouraging people who can to donate.

You might have the ability to help someone recover, and you don’t even know it. But if you have reason to believe you had it and have recovered, Blood Assurance will test to see if you were exposed. It may seem odd to think of a positive test result as good news, but if you are willing to donate, that positive antibody result would be doubly good news—not only are you confirmed “recovered,” but you may be eligible to save some lives.

About The Author Charles Brian Conn is director of public relations at Lee University. He and his wife Kelly have two children, Lorne and Oliver.

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