Gab Valenciano reveals he's a COVID-19 survivor; advocates for plasma donation
Just a few days after his mom Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano was declared COVID-free, a multi-talented artist and former 'Wowowin' director Gab Valenciano revealed that he is a COVID-19 survivor too.
COVID-19 survivor Gab Valenciano donates his plasma to help another COVID-19 patient recover / Source: @gabvalenciano (IG)
Gab made the revelation in an Instagram post on Sunday, April 11. He shared a series of photos and videos during his actual plasma donation at the Philippine Red Cross-National Headquarters and explained why he only spoke about it now.
Part of his caption reads, “YOUR PLASMA CAN SAVE LIVES. Last November, I tested positive for COVID-19 and chose to keep it strictly between family and friends for very personal reasons. It wasn't severe in any way and I fully recovered by following all protocols and by the full support of my loved ones, even from afar.
“I never planned to post about it till today because right now, WE NEED HEROES.
“There is another way we can fight this virus; CONVALESCENT PLASMA DONATION.”
He then expounded on how a COVID-19 survivor's plasma can help with a COVID-19 patient's recovery.
“Plasma is the liquid part of your blood which contains antibodies that keep your body working well and helps fight off deadly diseases. In this case, COVID-19.
“Once you contract the virus and recover from it, you now have antibodies in your blood which gives you the opportunity to be a hero and save lives.
“The plasma is infused into the bloodstream of a patient who is in critical condition to help them fight the virus and recover.”
Gab Valenciano with his bag of donated plasma / Source: @gabvalenciano (IG)
Gab, who is a mental health ambassador too, also talked about what made him decide to add plasma donation to his advocacies.
“People need to know about this. We can talk about death and recovery numbers and percentages all we want, but a life is a life. If we can save one, we've already won.”
Gab's mom Angeli-Pangilinan-Valenciano announced that she tested positive for COVID-19 last March 20. She also asked her followers to pray that her husband Gary Valenciano, so that he won't contract the virus. Gary V. has had Type 1 diabetes for 42 years and was declared cancer-free in 2019 after being diagnosed with kidney cancer back in 2018.
On April 3, Angeli and Gary V. shared the good news that she is now COVID-19 free in separate posts on Instagram.
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See who else among Filipino celebrities and personalities are COVID-19 survivors and have already donated their plasma in the gallery below.