Dr. Mark Ballow believes plasma is a precious, lifesaving commodity. Every day, he witnesses stunning progress in his patients because of treatments made using plasma proteins that can only come from donors.

As a pediatric allergist-immunologist who has been practicing for more than 20 years, Dr. Ballow has seen thousands of patients facing a wide range of medical issues. It is especially hard for those with immune deficiencies because of the permanent organ and tissue damage that can harm a body if the disorder is not caught early. Regretfully, Dr. Ballow acknowledges that it can sometimes take 5-7 years before a patient is correctly diagnosed.

He and his team actively work to educate primary care physicians on identifying these hard-to-spot diseases and treating them with immunoglobulin therapy (IG) derived from plasma donations. Identifying and treating immune deficiencies sooner can keep people healthy and out of hospitals, while adding years to their lives.

There is no synthetic substitute for the plasma proteins used to create IG therapies, which provides vital antibodies to patients who can’t make their own. This means immunoglobulin therapy, and those that receive it, rely on the dedication and commitment of plasma donors.

Ballow sees a growing need for plasma-derived therapies as immunodeficiency disorders are better understood and identified. He also emphasizes that because so many lifesaving treatments come from plasma, every donation is incredibly precious and can touch a lot of lives.