El Paso couple that recovered from virus have message for other survivors: Please donate plasma

(Editor's note: For more information how to donate plasma, please click here.)

EL PASO, Texas -- The virus that has crippled the U.S. economy and changed the way we all live has met its match with one El Paso couple.

Patty and Alan Russell were both diagnosed with Covid-19 weeks before life in the Borderland was changed by government health orders to stay home.

"We had a gift that we might be able to save someone's life, so it was
really a no-brainer for us to donate it," said Patty, a thankful virus survivor.

"My first real symptom was a headache and I was extremely tired," Patty said of how she felt in late February. "There was a hint about Covid, but
there wasn't really much out there. We happened to be in Florida on a
little vacation."

Patty told ABC-7 that while on that Florida vacation, she and her husband went to the emergency room where she was tested for the flu, but the results were negative.

"About a week later, Alan got a mild case (of what the Russells presumed was the flu)," Patty said.

Shortly after Alan’s bout with the “flu,” the Russells came to a startling conclusion.

"When I kept hearing the symptoms and realizing I didn't test positive for
the flu, I decided to get tested for the antibodies," Patty said. "When we found that we both tested positive, it was a natural process for us to want to donate our plasma."

Their highly sought plasma is full of antibodies that are credited with helping infected patients recover.

Dr. Debabrata Mukherjee, of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, told ABC-7 that there is a severe shortage of plasma in our community.

"We were told that our donation would treat four people," Alan said.

Dr. Mukherjee explained the process: "We take blood and extract plasma with antibodies from individuals who have had this viral infection. This
particular antibody is expected to work by fighting the infection in a
patient who is struggling, who is sick from the virus actively."

The Russells quickly did the math and have sprung into action.

"Think about the number of people in El Paso County that recovered," Alan
said, "if half of those people would donate their plasma, we could treat
every Covid patient in our county."