For whom do you give?

Lucy (9) and Mila (11) both have PID, short for Primary Immune Deficiency. Most children with PID are unable to make enough antibodies on their own, which compromises their immune system. The result is persistent infections of the respiratory tract, intestines or skin, for example. Thus, they become sicker more often than others.

What are antibodies? 

Antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, are proteins produced by your immune system in response to the presence of foreign substances, such as bacteria or viruses. They play a crucial role in protecting the body from pathogens. 

Did you know that plasma also contains antibodies? 

Therefore, plasma donations are vital for people with immune disorders. 

"So in a plasma donation, the plasma is separated from the red blood cells in your blood. After this, the red blood cells are returned. From the plasma, life-saving medications are processed, for patients with Primary Immune Deficiency, among others. A baby with PID, like Lucy and Mila, needs 80 plasma donations for a year's treatment." explains Professor Haerynck.

"Thank you for donating plasma for us. This will help us get less sick and go to parties and school like other kids." - Lucy and Mila

View their testimonial here

Meet Hanne, Renée's mom. Renée is a mischievous 17-month-old toddler who, in addition to an incredibly cute smile, also has a rare condition. After all, she was born with Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKD). This is a disease in which her own red blood cells break down too quickly, causing her hemoglobin to drop and requiring blood transfusions to keep it up.

"Renée is doing great" Hanne tells us smiling during the conversation that continues right after the photo shoot. But behind her smile is a struggle she is eager to tell us about. Because it is such an important part of her life, and defines that of her family. A struggle in which blood transfusions are essential to Renée's life.

Hanne and her husband Bruno had long known Belgian Red Cross-Flanders 's mission to provide safe and sufficient blood, plasma and platelets. After all, Bruno has been donating plasma for years, it's a sort of hobby with a regular clique of friends. For a good year now, they have found themselves on the other side of the story, as recipients.

"Renée needs blood transfusions because her red blood cells break down too quickly, causing her hemoglobin to drop" explains Hanne. "These transfusions are vital for Renée and their rhythm and frequency change as she grows. Until she was 6 months, she had to go to the hospital for transfusions every 3 to 4 weeks. Meanwhile, there may already be 7 weeks between 2 treatments. It is an intense process, the transfusions take up to 4 hours. Fortunately, the hospital in Bruges has become a kind of second home and we receive not only care, but also support and love from a dedicated team there."

Hanne emphasizes, "Renée's smile remains unchanged. Transfusions are her only option; there are no pills or alternatives for PKD. But thanks to donor blood, she can simply keep living. If this had not been possible a few years ago, she might not be here now. So I am enormously grateful to science and to the donors of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. Thanks to them, Renée can remain her happy self".

The message Hanne wants to give is simple but clear: every donor can change lives and offer hope. Renée's story symbolizes the inestimable value of voluntary donorship and every donation that comes from it.

Thanks for giving for Renée!

Yana also shares the story of her infant son Elijah in an emotional interview. It begins in 2018 when Elia was born. "Elia was very sick from the beginning," Yana says as she looks back on his first few months. "A severe lung infection forced him to spend four weeks in neonatology after birth."

And unfortunately, it didn't stop there. Every time he seemed to recover, another hospitalization followed. "It was a roller coaster of worries and illnesses," Yana adds. "When he was about 7 months, Elia got so sick that he spent six weeks in the hospital, including two weeks in intensive care. We almost lost him."

"That was when the doctors took blood several times and did more extensive tests," Yana says. These showed that Elia was producing little to no white blood cells of his own, making him more susceptible to infections. Professor Haerynck, a leading pediatric immunologist, indicated that there was a 60% chance Elia would need a stem cell transplant, with an uncertain chance of success.

"We were in shock, he was still so small," recalls Yana. When it turned out that Elijah's 3-year-old sister would probably be the best donor, the family was completely bewildered. However, as an alternative, it was suggested to try immunoglobulins from plasma.

"It was a leap of faith," says Yana. But despite all the uncertainty, the treatment had a positive effect. "Elia got sick less often and had more resistance. As a result, the stem cell transplant is off the agenda, or at least so long as Elia's body continues to respond well to the administration of immunoglobulins."

"The immunoglobulins are made from plasma. So for us and especially for Elia, it is very important to have a sufficient supply. In the beginning they were administered every 4 weeks in the hospital but after a few months we were able to switch to weekly treatment at home. For this we learned the necessary actions ourselves and now every week on 'prick day' I administer Elia his medication." explains Yana. "He still gets sick, but it's not as alarming as before." It is a relief not to have to constantly go to the hospital anymore and to finally be able to take care of their little boy at home.

"Plasma donations are very important to us. After all, without plasma donations there is no medication for Elia. So we are very grateful for the people around us, such as Grandma Yvette, and all the others, who donate plasma on a regular and voluntary basis at Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. It's not only for Elia, but also for many others," Yana stresses, while underlining the invaluable value of plasma donations. "You save lives with it and save us a lot of visits to the hospital."

Thanks for giving for Elijah!

Evi is the devoted mom of three beautiful children: Milan (9), Lina (6) and Mauro (5). Her little sons both suffer from the same metabolic disease, and Milan also has an autoimmune disease on top of that, requiring plasma to survive.

During Warmest Week, Evi shared her heartbreaking story with Sam De Bruyn. For Milan depends on plasma to stay healthy and alive. Without the vital plasma medication, even a simple flu can be fatal for him. That is why Evi made an urgent appeal in The Warmest House: "Milan cannot live without plasma. If he doesn't get it, even a simple cold can be fatal to him. So it is of enormous importance that people donate plasma," she testified at the microphone to Sam De Bruyn. "Thank you for donating plasma.Thereis no alternative so thanks to you, Milan can live a more normal life."

Thanks for giving for Milan!

View her testimonial here

Tom is a thirty-something who brings his story for the second time to Belgian Red Cross-Flanders. He was a donor himself, but then fate struck. He says, "Even though it was about nine years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. What started with balance disorders and decreased motor function in my left hand during the first months of 2015 quickly escalated. Weeks passed and I faced constant headaches, fatigue and vomiting. I stayed home for several weeks but things did not improve and eventually my body gave signals that could not be ignored."

A visit to a nose-throat ear specialist led to a series of tests. The results were alarming, and soon Tom found himself in the hospital for an urgent MRI scan. "The verdict was harsh: a medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor that was putting pressure on my brain," he said. Fortunately, surgery was possible. The surgery to remove the tumor took 10 hours and I ended up in a coma. I was in intensive care for four weeks."

This was followed by countless radiation treatments and months of chemotherapy. "During chemotherapy, my blood levels were extremely low and my body was exhausted. Blood transfusions were the only way to recover and I was given a total of 12 units of blood. They got me back on my feet, literally."

Still, the trials were not over, and living a normal life proved challenging. Tom continues his story, "I had impaired motor skills and balance disorders and attended hours of physical and occupational therapy. But I recovered, was able to live on my own and after a while love was around the corner. My girlfriend and I wanted children, but after my treatments this seemed like an unattainable dream."

However, the medical world offered a new opportunity: fertility testing and a pathway through ICSI. An emotional journey that resulted in the message "Congratulations, you are pregnant!". And so in October 2023, Tom and Eline welcomed a beautiful daughter, Aurelie. An unexpected gift after all he had endured.

To the donors who gave their blood, Tom likes to say,"Thank you for giving blood for me. Thanks to your donations, I not only got a second chance at life, but also the chance to meet the woman of my life and have a beautiful daughter together."

Thanks for giving for Tom!