Iza Calzado (Image: Instagram/@missizacalzado)
Actress and COVID-19 survivor Iza Calzado narrated the “emotional moment” when she was finally able to donate her blood plasma yesterday, June 12, on Philippine Independence Day.
Calzado had earlier failed to be an eligible plasma donor for COVID-19 due to low hemoglobin levels. The actress explained via Instagram why yesterday became more significant for her. Last March, the actress was hospitalized for pneumonia, and later on, it was confirmed that she tested positive for the new coronavirus.
“June 12 has always been a special day because it is my Mother’s birthday and the independence day of my Motherland,” Calzado said. “This year, it became even more meaningful.”
The actress donated her blood to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
“I never knew that giving my blood would be such an emotional moment for me,” she added. “Perhaps it’s because, as a Covid-19 Survivor, I truly felt that this was one of the most powerful ways I could help my fellow Filipinos during this time. ”
While she was donating her blood, the doctor played the patriotic song by Constancio de Guzman, “Bayan Ko.” Calzado recalled tears flowed from her eyes when she heard it.
“It gave me so much hope to think that maybe I could help restore someone’s health and that, through our collective efforts, we can restore our country’s well being and make it better,” she said.
PGH has been using convalescent plasma therapy to treat patients with COVID-19. The treatment uses COVID-19 survivors’ plasma, which contains antibodies, to boost other patients’ immune systems. The plasma is transfused particularly to patients with severe cases of the disease.
Despite being an experimental treatment, PGH reported that some patients who underwent convalescent plasma therapy have shown positive results. The Department of Health (DOH) also assured that there are no signs that the plasma therapy has harmful effects on COVID-19 patients. /ra
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