Ebola Survivor Dr. Kent Brantly Donates Blood to Virus-Stricken Nurse
Ebola survivor Dr. Kent Brantly has donated blood to help a nurse fight the virus. The nurse, whose name is Nina Pham, is the first person to contract the disease within the U.S. This was confirmed by a spokesman for Samaritan's Purse in an interview with NBC News.
Brantly, who is still working with the air group, reportedly traveled to Dallas on Sunday to make the donation for Pham who contracted the virus while helping to treat a Liberian man who died of Ebola last week at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.
A family spokesman said that Pham's mother reported that her daughter is doing well. She was reported in stable condition on Monday. Medical experts are hoping that the antibodies in Brantly's blood will activate Pham's immunity to the Ebola virus.
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Brantly's blood donation to Pham marks the third time that he has given blood to treat other people. He was caring for sick Ebola patients with the aid group in Liberia when he became the first American to get diagnosed with Ebola in late July. His condition was worsening until one of his former patients, a 14-year old Ebola survivor, gave him some blood for a transfusion before he was flown to the U.S.
Brantly recovered and was released from Emory University Hospital on Aug. 21, and he donated his plasma to Samaritan's Purse colleague Dr. Rick Sacra and freelance cameraman Ashoka Mukpo, who are receiving treatment for Ebola at Nebraska Medical Center.
On Oct. 14, Mukpo took to Twitter to say that he was feeling better. He wrote, "Back on twitter, feeling like I'm on the road to good health. Will be posting some thoughts this week. Endless gratitude for the good vibes."
Meanwhile, Mukpo's parents spoke with NBC News and shared that their son is doing well. The couple said that they are "incredibly grateful" to Brantly.
"I literally didn't know what to say and I just honestly started crying," said Mukpo's father, Dr. Mitchell Levy.
"We're incredibly grateful to him. And I'm sure Ashoka will be prepared when he's called on," said Mukpo's mother, Diana. "I know my son, and apart from rededicating his efforts to the situation in Liberia, I'm sure when he gets called on to give blood, if we know that's helpful, I know that he'll have no hesitation doing that."
