Dr. Rick Sacra and Dr. Kent Brantly were both infected with Ebola while working in Liberia with the aid organization Serving in Mission. Both were evacuated back to the United States for care. But the two doctors also have another thing in common: They have the same blood type. That little fact could be life-saving for Sacra. Brantly, who tested negative for the deadly virus after several weeks of treatment, recently flew to Nebraska where Sacra is in isolation and donated his blood. Doctors treated Sacra with this plasma on at least two occasions. Doctors believe Brantly has antibodies that Sacra lacks, but his immune system needs to help him fight the deadly virus.
@highlight
American Ebola patient in Nebraska treated with other survivor's blood
@highlight
Dr. Rick Sacra has also been given an unnamed experimental drug
@highlight
Sacra improves daily, hopes Americans continue to help people in West Africa
Sacra
Sacra
Sacra
At this point, doctors don't feel like @placeholder will relapse, but they've been cautious about predicting success.
West Africa
Doctors in @placeholder told them there is typically a "honeymoon period" for patients after which they often get dramatically worse.
Liberia
Sacra worried Ebola would cause a "domino effect" on the already vulnerable @placeholder health care system and that people with common ailments wouldn't get help.
United States
American
Americans
Thankful for the support, but also a little embarrassed by the all the attention, Sacra and his spouse asked that @placeholder remember people are struggling with Ebola in Africa too.
West Africa
"Every day and every week that we don't do what we can to stop Ebola in @placeholder, we are risking the possibility that it will not stay in West Africa."