WAUKEE, Iowa — Thursday is Blood Donor Day and with blood supplies extremely short due to COVID-19, LifeServe Blood Center is encouraging everyone to play a life-saving role by donating. For one Des Moines metro man, he’s donated countless times before, but most recently his blood donation came with a discovery — he’s been exposed to COVID-19 before.
Doug DeYarman, the managing partner for Shottenkirk Chevrolet in Waukee, just thought he had the typical bug when he got sick back during the first week of March.
“I don’t get sick much, but I was sick for about seven days. I was worn out and my body hurt real bad,” DeYarman said. “This was before it was really coming to Iowa, so no one really knew anything and nobody really understood the symptoms of what was going on.”
Once COVID-19 cases started to really spike here in Iowa, DeYarman couldn’t help but wonder if he had already been infected. He wanted to find out.
“I just thought if I could help some people that were fighting coronavirus I’d do whatever I could to help,” DeYarman said.
Through LifeServe he donated blood, and some of that blood was used to test for COVID-19 antibodies.
“Two days later I found out I was positive. I had the coronavirus antibodies, so they scheduled me in right away two weeks later and I started giving plasma,” DeYarman said.
Convalescent plasma donations are helping those hospitalized with COVID-19. In fact, for every one donation, four different patients can be treated.
“The idea is the antibodies and the donated plasma that helps them fight off the virus will then help others fight off the virus,” Danielle West with LifeServe Blood Center said. “We’ve seen really positive results. Our physicians across our area are really excited about this. So the need and requests has definitely grown.”
Right now you have to qualify through LifeServe to be tested for antibodies. The requirements include things like previously testing positive for COVID-19 or having reason to believe you were exposed to the virus. Soon LifeServe hopes anyone who walks in their door can find out if they have the antibodies, so more plasma and more blood can be donated.
“Lately if you look, you can look at their website, they’ve been down to two day worth of supplies on some of their blood,” DeYarman said. “So they need it bad and it’s an easy way to help other people.”
To learn more about LifeServe’s convalescent plasma donations click here. To learn more about donating blood and sign up for an appointment click here.