Camarillo man who survived COVID-19 donates first “Convalescent Plasma”

VENTURA, Calif. - Dwight Everett believes he contracted COVID-19 on a recent cruise. 

His symptoms started on the ship with a headache although he did not attribute it to COVID-19 at the time. About a week and a half after returning home, he was tested and it came back positive. On March 8, his symptoms were gone. 

On March 14, he tested negative for COVID-19 and feels great now. 

Everett's recovery puts him in a unique group. He's now in the position to help others who get the virus as the outbreak spreads.

Vitalant, the nation’s largest independent blood service provider in partnership with St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital, Dignity Health approached Everett to donate his plasma and use it to possibly save lives. Everett jumped at the chance to help.

“Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may have immune-boosting antibodies in their plasma; that plasma—called “convalescent plasma”—could be used to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients,” explained Dr. Lynn Jeffers, St. John’s Chief Medical Officer.

“It was an honor to meet Mr. Everett, and we can’t thank him enough for his life-transforming gift for patients in our community,” said Susan Noone, Regional Director for Vitalant. “We are privileged to partner with him and St. John’s to make this potentially life-saving product available. St. John’s was a natural partner given our national relationship with Dignity Health and the fact that St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital performed the first convalescent plasma in Ventura County last week.”

Other COVID-19 survivors will be asked to donate their plasma since it's so valuable in the fight against Coronavirus.

Mr. Everett enthusiastically said “Do it!! It’s the right thing to do to help others!”

“We couldn’t agree more,” added Darren W. Lee, President and CEO of St. John’s Regional Medical Center and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. “Making this treatment available to our community and as many others as possible is the right thing to do. We are extremely blessed to have such excellent physicians, staff and people like Mr. Everett in our community who have enabled us to lead the fight against COVID-19 in Ventura County.”

Vitalant said it will only accept donors who have recovered from COVID-19 after they have been evaluated and cleared by a physician.  This ensures that only fully recovered individuals are donating.

Learn more at vitalant.org/COVIDfree.