Plasma Payoff

Everybody knows that gas prices are pretty ridiculous these days but donating plasma can buy you a little over 67 gallons of gas.

If you donate plasma twice a week for a month at your local BioLife you will earn $240. With gas prices currently at $3.55 per gallon, that buys you 67.6 gallons of gas. Not bad huh?

Central Michigan University student Maria Cairo frequents BioLife twice a week.

“I use the money for gas and the bar. There's no way I'd be able to spend as much as I do on the weekends if it weren't for my plasma money,”

With the economy in rough shape, more and more people are looking for ways to make a little extra cash.

“I started giving plasma a year ago because I stopped working so I could put more time into schoolwork,” says Cairo, “I figured spending a few hours giving plasma every week would not only get me extra cash, but also save lives.”

According to the BioLife website, http://www.biolifeplasma.com/, the plasma collected from donors is manufactured into a wide variety of life-saving products that benefit thousands of people everyday.

“We see hundreds of people everyday,” said an employee of BioLife who asked to not be named, “Not just college kids looking for cash but people from all walks of life.”

Plasma is used to treat serious disorders such as hemophilia and immune system deficiencies, and to make products used to help treat and prevent diseases like tetanus, rabies, measles, rubella and hepatitis B. Plasma is also used in hospitals and emergency rooms all over the world for treatment of shock and severe burns.

“I go twice a week, which is the max you can go,” says Cairo. “I usually schedule my appointments before exams because it gives me quiet time to study without other distractions.”

Every donor goes through the same process before donating which can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and half. The donor fills out an electronic questionnaire, gets weighed, has their blood pressure and temperature taken and gets their finger pricked to test their blood. If all this is normal, they proceed to a nice comfy leather chair where they begin the plasmapheresis process.

“I personally think the finger poke hurts more than the needle in my arm,” explains Cairo. “I have seen a few people faint though, so it's not for people scared of needles.”

If you are interested in becoming a donor go to http://www.biolifeplasma.com/ or visit your local BioLife.