Published May 4, 2020

Rita Wilson, Breast Cancer Survivor, Teams Up with Husband, Tom Hanks, to Donate ‘Convalescent Plasma’ For COVID-19 Patients: How Can You Benefit?

Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contains antibodies that may help fight the COVID-19. After recovering from the disease, Hanks and Wilson were eager to donate theirs.

Shelby Black

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After celebrating 32 years of marriage, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson rolled up their sleeves to donate plasma in hopes of helping others suffering with COVID-19.

In March, Hanks and Wilson announced to fans that they had tested positive for coronavirus during a trip to Australia and were self-quarantining while being monitored by medical teams. Now fully recovered, both Hanks and Wilson shared separate photos of them donating plasma to help those battling the respiratory virus.

Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients contains antibodies that may help fight the disease, and donations are desperately needed. Those looking to donate or receive convalescent plasma can register for the national Expanded Access Program led by the Mayo Clinic. Covid-19 survivors can donate at local blood suppliers or through the American Red Cross. The program offers a form for those donating through the Red Cross, which specifies donors must be and must be at least 17 years or older, in good health, and have had a verified case of Covid-19 but are fully recovered and have been symptom free for at least 14 days.

For those seeking donations, physicians can enroll patients through the program’s online registry. In order to be eligible for the registry, patients must be 18 years or older, have a severe or life-threatening confirmed case of Covid-19, are currently admitted to a facility, and have informed consent by the patient or their advocate. Before applying, physicians should read over the protocol document listed on the website.

“The FDA is launching a new national effort to bring blood-related therapies for COVID-19 to market as fast as possible," HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced on April 3rd. .According to the FDA, convalescent plasma is an antibody-rich product made from blood donated by people who have recovered from the disease caused by the virus. Data suggests that convalescent plasma has the potential to lessen the severity or shorten the length of illness caused by COVID-19, although its use has not yet been confirmed in clinical trials. The system to facilitate emergency access for individual patients is

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