PiNSA

14/11/2025

08/11/2025

MYTH: Primary Immunodeficiency only affects children.

FACT: While some severe forms of PI become apparent in infancy, approximately 75% of diagnoses are made in adults.

📌 Primary Immunodeficiency doesn’t discriminate - all ages can become affected.

Let’s break the myths and share the facts. 💛 Stay tuned for more in our new Myth vs. Fact series!

05/11/2025

Celebrating Partnership and Community
As we reflect on our inaugural PiNSA Summit held on October 3rd and celebrate 25 remarkable years of advocacy and support, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Anura Vineyards and La Luandière Wines for their generous sponsorship of our Summit gifts.

These partnerships enable us to bring together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates to share knowledge, build connections, and strengthen our community.

For 25 years, PiNSA has been dedicated to improving the lives of those living with Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders.

As we look to the future, we're grateful for partners like Anura and La Luandière who stand with us in this mission.
Thank you for believing in our community and for helping make our first Summit a memorable milestone in our quarter-century journey.

23/10/2025

Communicating your diagnosis to family and friends can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Today, we’re creating a space for support: how do you explain your Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) to the important people in your life? Share your tips, stories, or phrases that have helped open up those conversations. Your experience could make a difference for someone else facing the same challenge! Let’s uplift each other and make our journeys a little easier, one story at a time.

15/10/2025

PID patients are at heightened risk of severe and even life-threatening infections.
A a friend or family member of a primary/genetically immunodeficient patient, please show your love to them by being supportive, postponing visits if you feel like you are coming down with something and sticking to good practices when it comes to hand washing and hygiene.

11/10/2025

Our LinkedIn page has moved!

PiNSA has officially launched our LinkedIn company page - a proper home for South Africa’s primary immune community.

PiNSA's LinkedIn profile was created before PiNSA had taken shape. We’re now consolidating everything under one place where updates, stories, and advocacy efforts can reach more people and partners.

Please follow us on LinkedIn and share our page with community members.

Please click below to follow our new page and stay connected with the work, events, and progress of this growing community:

🔗 Follow the new PiNSA page here: https://lnkd.in/dqds8haY

Thank you for walking this road with us - your support continues to make a real difference.

10/10/2025

Turning plasma into hope — one donation at a time.

Plasma is the golden part of your blood, packed with antibodies and proteins that help fight infection and save lives.

Every donation helps patients living with Primary Immunodeficiency, bleeding disorders, and burns.

Watch this to learn how plasma donation works, why it matters, and how you can help.

Donate through South African National Blood Service (outside the Western Cape) or Western Cape Blood Service (in the Western Cape).

09/10/2025

It is International Plasma Awareness Week. Please consider donating plasma at your nearest South African National Blood Service or Western Cape Blood Service branch.
Plasma saves lives. It is used to manufacture immunoglobulin products for patients who have a primary immunodeficiency. Your donation keeps us safe and provides us with quality of life. Without your donation, primary immunodeficient patients face severe and even life threatening infections.

08/10/2025

South Africa faced plasma shortages this year - and people living with Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) felt it first.

Their life-saving IVIG infusions were delayed because there just wasn’t enough plasma.

It takes around 260 plasma donations to make a single infusion. That’s 260 people showing up so one person can keep fighting infections - and keep living.

You can help. Donate plasma at your nearest South African National Blood Service (South African National Blood Service) or the (Western Cape Blood Service) donor centres.

This International Plasma Awareness Week, let’s change the story.

💛 Donate plasma. Give someone a tomorrow.

www.pinsa.org.za

07/10/2025

A breakthrough worth celebrating!

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for their discoveries on peripheral immune tolerance - the process that keeps our immune systems from attacking our own bodies.

Their research revealed the role of regulatory T cells and the critical Foxp3 gene, deepening our understanding of why some people develop autoimmune or immune-regulation disorders, while others don’t.

For families living with Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs), this is more than just science - it’s recognition. Discoveries like these put PIDs on the map, shining a light on conditions that are too often misunderstood or overlooked.

These breakthroughs continue to shape the future of immune-related medicine - from autoimmune disease treatment to transplantation success and targeted immunotherapy.

At PiNSA, we celebrate this recognition of the immune system’s complexity and the incredible researchers working to bring balance where it’s lost. 💙

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.”

07/10/2025

It’s International !

💙 Plasma is powerful.

From saving the lives of PI patients to treating neurological and autoimmune conditions, plasma-derived therapies are essential. Yet, less than 5% of eligible people donate plasma—and patients need thousands of donations every year.

Every single donation matters. 🌍✨

06/10/2025

Gordy was stuck waiting forever for his luggage to arrive at Lanseria International Airport. Let's just say patience isn't Gordy's strong suit. But now, Gordy is all snug at home, ready for a nice long snooze. And honestly, 5am wake-up calls are just not giraffe-friendly, especially for Gordy. 😂😂💜💜 Lanseria International Airport PiNSA
Gordy would like to again thank everyone involved in the Summit this past weekend. He looks forward to seeing you all again next year. Lots of Gordy love to all! 🦒🦒