DENVER (KDVR) — A Convalescent plasma recipient and donor met for the first time on Wednesday.

Paul Nielsen received a Convalescent plasma donation after he was hospitalized with COVID-19 in 2020. You can watch his story above.

“I’m really convinced that had my family not brought me to the E.R. and I didn’t have that plasma, that’s the night that I probably would not have survived,” Nielsen said. “The plasma was the key ingredient. I’m not a doctor, I don’t know for certain, but to me that’s what I credit as saving my life was the plasma.”  

Nielsen was also introduced to Amos Bailey, a palliative care doctor, whose plasma donation he received on Wednesday during the news conference.

“I spent a lot of time working in the intensive care units, working with the doctors and families trying to make difficult decisions for their loved ones who were dying from COVID, Bailey said. “It was very scary because I had been sick with COVID myself.”

Vitalant said Nielsen has been able to pay it forward and donate his own antibody-rich plasma. Vitalant said it continues to test donations for COVID-19 antibodies and informs donors of their results.

If positive, Vitalant said it may be able to produce convalescent plasma from the donation to treat patients currently battling the disease to give them an extra boost to fight their illness, while the other blood components from the donation are vital to help patients undergoing surgery, receiving treatment for cancer or requiring regular transfusions for a chronic condition.

How to Give To learn more and schedule an appointment to donate, please visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).