For students who have a little free time and no aversions to needles, plasma donation may be a great way to earn a few bucks.
ZLB Plasma Services, on Nicholson Drive, provides students an opportunity to make extra money while doing a good deed. The center also provides individuals compensation for the donation of their plasma.
Chaneka Gibson, compliance specialist at ZLB Plasma Services, said students who donate plasma will receive $25 on their first visit and $30 on their second visit. The weight of the donor will determine how much they will receive on a regular basis, regardless of their sex. Students may receive between $15 and $25 for each regular visit.
Nick Dubre, a theatre freshman, said that he has donated several times.
“If you really need money, do it,” said Dubre. “I’ve done it three times. I needed the cash.”
While many students may donate their plasma just to pay the bills, others realize how helpful the donations are to those in need.
Lawrence Johnson, marketing senior, is among the few that donate for those reasons.
“I have a family member with medical problems and that’s what inspired me to donate,” Johnson said. “It’s a good thing, and I advise others to do it.”
Steven Pomarico, biological sciences instructor, said plasma has various medicinal purposes and may be used in the treatment of burn victims and sufferers of Hemophilia.
Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder in which a sufferer’s blood is unable to clot correctly due to a lack of a component that plasma contains.
If an individual with Hemophilia were to be injured, massive amounts of blood could be lost. Plasma donations enable this disease to be far less threatening and help sufferers cope with their condition.
Burn victims suffer from a tremendous fluid loss as a result of their injuries and also require additional plasma for recovery. A victim’s plasma is lost as their body secretes excessive amounts of plasma to the areas which were burned, Pomarico said. Plasma donations allow the patient’s plasma to be replenished and allow the body to heal.
Mandy Alleman, medical technology freshman, believes that donating blood is more admirable because donors don’t get paid for their donation.
“People donate plasma because they get paid, not out of goodwill,” said Alleman.
There are restrictions regarding exactly who may donate, Gibson said. Donors must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and must be at least 18 years old. During a student’s initial visit, they are screened and a drug test is performed. The results of these tests will determine whether a donor will be able to give.
Laura Dicks, a psychology junior, said she was turned away from the center because of her weight.
“I’d like to donate but they told me I couldn’t because I didn’t weigh enough,” Dicks said.
Gibson said the procedure is routine and varies little from donating blood. Approximately half a cup of blood is taken from the patient, filtered and then returned to the donor.
There is a much longer waiting period between blood donations compared to plasma. Pomarico said the human body is generally able to regenerate the lost plasma within a day of donating.
Individuals may donate up to two times per week, with one day in between, Gibson said.
Most students who donate do not experience any side affects, Gibson said. Professionals at the center do advise donors to drink water and to eat a complete meal after they have donated.
Pomarico agreed with this suggestion and said, “Donors should be sure to drink ample amounts of water and eat a full meal after they have donated due to the amount of liquid which is extracted from the blood.”
Dehydration may occur if donors do not re-hydrate their bodies, Pomarico said.
Pomarico said that those who donate plasma are compensated primarily for their time. Donating blood typically takes only about 20 minutes. It may be difficult to persuade individuals to give up an hour of their time if they were receiving nothing in return, Pomarico suggested.