Stourport coronavirus survivor set to donate blood plasma

Mum-of-one Heather Jones was reunited with her husband and nine-year-old daughter in April following a near death battle with the virus at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The 49-year-old said she had "given up all hope of surviving" after being rushed to hospital with a temperature of 40 degrees and testing positive for coronavirus two days later. Read the full story here.

Heather Jones fighting coronavirus in hospital

Now, Heather is answering the government's calls for Covid-19 survivors to donate blood to help treat those seriously ill with the virus.

Heather said: "I'm fully recovered now and I heard about people needing to donate blood plasma. Only Covid-recovered patients can do it so I feel quite honoured that I'm able to.

"It was bad luck me getting it - I lost someone close to me to the virus too - but this is a way I can give something back."

Heather is set to give blood at Birmingham Blood Donor Centre on July 1.

Read more:

• Which Wyre Forest postcodes have had the most coronavirus deaths?
• 500 coronavirus patients in Worcestershire back home with their families

Her donated blood will then go through a manufacturing process that will extract plasma – the yellowish liquid compound that holds blood cells in suspension and contains antibodies.

It is hoped that plasma from recovered patients will give sick people the right antibodies to fight it off.

Since her recovery, Heather has raised £900 for NHS Charities Together and has even written her own book. She has also been selling her own t-shirts and wristbands to raise money.

Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/heatherjones-heroes to donate.