A surprise visit for Luca

Ten-year-old Luca is a massive Aston Villa fan.

Our video below begins with him doing keepy uppies, yet he was not long ago left struggling to get out of bed or even eat or drink after developing the autoimmune disorder, myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis is a rare condition that causes muscle weakness and can affect people of any age. It can leave people like Luca with problems chewing and swallowing but fortunately can be treated with medicine made from donated plasma.

The day after receiving plasma, Luca had his football boots back on.

Now, he’s about to meet one of his footballing heroes, Jacob Ramsey.

Watch the video below:

The medicine made from plasma saves or improves the lives of around 17,000 people a year. We are appealing for new donors to come forward and join our team of giving types. 6,766 new plasma donations are needed to help save even more lives.

You can help people like Luca by donating plasma at one of three centres in Birmingham, Reading and Twickenham. Donating plasma is as easy as giving blood and it takes around an hour.

To find out more about plasma donation and to register your interest, please click here.