Woman with common variable immune deficiency relies on plasma lifeline

For someone living with common variable immune deficiency (CVID), plasma donations aren't just important—they're a lifeline. The generosity of people who donate plasma transformed Kimberly Peyton’s life.

Peyton’s journey with plasma began in 2019 with persistent symptoms that initially led to diagnoses of various autoimmune conditions. But something was still missing as her joint pain swelling and fatigue persisted. 

"I just was not getting better," Peyton recalled. "There was still a missing link." 

For a person who loves to travel and attend large events like concerts, being sick all of the time felt limiting. It wasn't until July 2022 that a blood test—which had previously shown normal results—finally revealed hypogammaglobulinemia, which is when someone has low levels of immunoglobulins (antibodies) in their blood. Further testing confirmed a diagnosis of common variable immune deficiency (CVID) after failed vaccine challenges which is a common test to measure how well the immune system responds to vaccines and whether or not they produce antibodies in response to the vaccine as a healthy functioning immune system would. CVID is characterized by low levels of serum antibodies, which cause an increased susceptibility to infection. Symptoms often include recurrent infections involving the ears, sinuses, and lungs. 

By September 2022, Peyton began subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) therapy—a treatment derived from the plasma of healthy donors. The impact was dramatic and swift.

"My immunoglobulin (IgG) level was in the 400s after my first month of replacement. I quickly jumped up to over 650," she shared. "My health got better after starting infusions. I was able to get my quality of life back." 

Peyton recalls as a child sitting with her grandmother many times while she received blood transfusions to treat anemia, and while that made her less fearful of the infusions she now relies on, she never expected to need any kind of blood product herself. 

One thing Peyton wants people to realize about plasma-derived therapies, which differ from a simple blood transfusion, is how many individuals it takes to make just one vial of her medication. When people think about donating plasma, she wants them to not just think about blood transfusions for emergencies like traumas and accidents but for treatments like the ones she relies on every day to stay healthy. Without this treatment, her body would not produce enough antibodies on its own to stay healthy. 

"These [immunoglobulin treatments] give back to me what I can no longer make on my own. I know what my quality of life would be without them. It's not much of a life," she said.

Peyton believes that donors deserve to see the impact of their contributions. When she sees friends post about donating blood on social media, she’s "immediately in the comments thanking them and putting some type of message for their followers or anyone who may see the impact [plasma donation] makes." Even her own son has begun donating plasma in his adult years, after seeing firsthand the importance plasma donations have had on his mother. 

Today, Peyton is turning her experience into advocacy. She’s involved with the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) and will be traveling to Washington, D.C., in May to participate in the organization's annual day of advocacy on Capitol Hill. She particularly loves to share her story in hopes of promoting plasma donation and the policies that support plasma donation.

"I want to spread the message [about] how important donating is," she emphasized. "You never know if you will be on the opposite end of it and needing it yourself."