Emily Ernst

"With Vivaglobin, I can remain active and go to meetings, eat dinner with friends or do homework."

More Personal Stories Andrew Hawkins, Hypogammaglobulinemia Corinne Gentile-Kraus, Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) Elaine Hill, Primary Immune Deficiency Myra Hanson, von Willebrand Disease Linda Alongi, von Willebrand Disease

Emily Ernst is a student at the University of Michigan. When she is not diligently studying, Emily likes to discuss politics, swim, ski and encourage her friends and peers to donate plasma.

"There are a lot of people who have conditions that use therapies made from plasma," Emily said. "I try to persuade my friends to donate by telling them that the life they're saving could be mine."

Emily was born with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID). CVID is a genetic immune disorder that leaves her with an increased risk of illness and/or infection. Emily was diagnosed as a child and receives weekly immunoglobulin (Ig) therapy to help protect her body against infection.

"My doctors determined I had an immune deficiency after I contracted pneumonia three separate times by age three and had monthly sinus infections that I couldn't get rid of," Emily said.

While 10 years old, Emily participated in the clinical trial that helped Vivaglobin^® earn approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Vivaglobin was the first FDA-approved subcutaneous (sub-Q) Ig therapy for treatment of people with primary immunodeficiency (PI).

Because she is able to self-administer Vivaglobin, Emily's treatments don't interfere with the hectic academic and social lifestyle of a college student.

"I can't imagine sitting with an intravenous (IV) in my arm for hours at a time," Emily said. "With Vivaglobin, I can remain active and go to meetings, eat dinner with friends or do homework."

Emily also serves as a personal advocate for the product's Voice2Voice™ program. This initiative offers peer-to-peer support to people using Vivaglobin and their caregivers. The program aims to help ease the transition to at-home self-administration.

"It's important for me to share my experience because there aren't many youth advocates," Emily said. "I want to make sure kids are getting the same guidance and level of support that adults and caregivers receive."

Emily is extremely passionate about helping other people who rely on plasma protein therapies. That is why she's studying to become an immunologist or infectious disease specialist.

"I have always been interested in medicine in general, but living with an immune deficiency has given me a natural inclination toward helping others with a similar condition," Emily said.

Emily says that, without people donating plasma, her success in the classroom (because of her academic prowess, Emily skipped two grades) and her dreams of being a physician may not have been possible.

"A lot of people with many different disorders depend on plasma protein therapies to help them lead a normal life," Emily said. "Plasma is an enormous gift that recipients are extremely thankful for. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all of the current plasma donors and I hope that many more people consider donating in the future."