BioLife Plasma Services is a business where people donate their blood plasma and receive money for doing so.

As stated by the Puget Sound Blood Centers Web site, plasma is liquid in your blood that carries nutrients, waste products, antibodies, clotting proteins and chemical messengers which help stabilize the body’s fluid.

People can donate plasma twice per week. The first donation pays $20 and the second pays $40.

The donated plasma is meant to benefit people with immune deficiencies.

Some mild symptoms including drowsiness or lack of energy may occur after donating. However, the $60 profit and the possibility of improving a life outweigh the risks.

From personal experience, BioLife Services has managed to supply about one-third of my weekly income for the past year.

At worst, I become tired for about a day after donating. To offset exhaustion the first time you donate, a BioLife physician explains and provides a pamphlet advising you to maintain a healthier diet. Increasing iron and protein consumption is the main solution to offset symptoms.

“I have never donated before, but it is something I would be willing to try as long as I did not get sick,” said Justin Pearce, a junior business administration major. “I have a friend who donates and it goes just fine for him. I think the whole concept is a great incentive to get people to help out a certain cause.”

The health and nutrition pamphlet given has several sections promoting a better diet by keeping yourself hydrated, eating healthy meals, avoiding fatty foods, passing up caffeine and alcohol, quitting smoking, getting an appropriate amount of sleep and increasing your iron and protein intake.

Along with this advice, donors are encouraged to skip a donation if they feel ill and to call BioLife if unfavorable symptoms continue. BioLife is not trying to increase its profits; they are obligated to people’s welfare.

“These therapies are life-saving. The people with immune deficiencies are counting on donors to help them live healthy lives,” said Kara Flynn, the global communications director of the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association.

Lying on a bed for an hour and a half could drastically enhance another person’s health. Sixty dollars and better nutrition are more than good reasons for contributing to another person’s health.

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