ATLANTA — The family of a coronavirus patient fighting for his life is asking people who have recovered from the virus to help save their loved one.
A new program using the plasma of convalescent patients is just starting in the United States and they hope it will help save him.
"He is an extraordinary man," said Kim Bolarinwa. "Loving father, you see my daughter's getting emotional, he is a loving father, loving husband, someone who has always, always put others before himself."
The Bolarinwa family is close ... and Akin's husband Akin is its core.
"My dad is the greatest person I know," said his daughter, Morenike Bolarinwa. "He would bend over backwards for anyone."
Akin was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 23 and has been hospitalized in intensive care ever since.
He remains in isolation, and his family is desperate for every update.
"Just understand that level of paranoia every time the phone rings because we have to receive updates via phone, so we are constantly on edge, every time the phone rings," said Kim.
Akin is in a medically induced coma, on a ventilator, and his family believes the hospital is doing everything they can to help him.
"To really fight this insidious war, it really has to be all hands on deck. The average citizens assisting the medical community in any way that's appropriate," she said.
A new treatment just starting in the US may be an answer to helping people recover faster.
Akin's daughter Morenike found hospitals in New York and Texas that were giving current patients plasma transfusions from patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
"This all came out of us frantically trying to find solutions," she said. "What keeps me going every day is frantically researching online and seeing what's working at other places."
The Red Cross told 11Alive its working closely with the FDA to develop a process to identify and qualify individuals who have recovered from the virus and have the necessary antibodies to participate in this effort - but says the safety of its staff, donors, and recipients is its top priority.
"Everything he does has always been above and beyond the call of duty," Kim said. "We know as a family we have to do everything in our power to get over this."
Akin's family hopes people who have recovered will be willing to help those still fighting.
For more information regarding plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients, please contact the American Red Cross at RedCrossBlood.org/plasma4covid.
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