Students looking for a way to make money for the holidays might consider donating plasma.
Ladonnica Eddings, senior medical receptionist at ZLB Plasma, said donors can earn up to $210 in their first month.
The donation process is complicated and can take two to four hours, she said.
"When you first come in, you need to bring a state-issued ID or driver's license, something with your Social Security number on it, and mail that's been sent to you within the last 30 days if it's different than the address that's on your ID," Eddings said. "When you go in, we'll take that information from you, check your veins and make sure that they're large enough for the donation process. If so, we'll go ahead and put you in the system."
Eddings said donors then undergo extensive screenings and tests.
"You'll be screened to check your iron, your protein, your blood pressure and your temperature and make sure you're in good health to donate," she said. "After that, you'll go through a more extensive health screening, which is called the physical, where they'll ask you extensive medical background questions. (We) also do a urine analysis and make sure there isn't too much sugar or protein in your urine."
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Eddings said the plasma-extraction process takes about 45 minutes.
"The first time, you'll receive $40, and if you come back within seven days, you'll receive $40 again, and after that it goes by how much you weigh," she said. "And then if you donate five times within your first 30 days, you'll receive a $10 bonus on your fifth donation."
Janel Rodriguez, of Bio-Save Resources, said donors there get $40 the first time, $55 the second, $30 the third and $45 the fourth time. After that, donors are paid in increasing increments according to their weight.
Eddings said plasma donations are used to make medications.
"The proteins that are in your plasma helps the body heal, so we give that to patients to help their skin heal," she said. "We use plasma for burn patients, and we give it to people who go into shock. We give it to people who have autoimmune diseases.... We also give it to patients who have hemophilia, which means their blood doesn't clot very easily, so it helps with that as well."
Freshman Reyna Beltran said she has donated before and that the process is safe and sanitary.
"The people at Yale Blood Plasma have a lot of rules about cleanliness. They explain it all to you before you donate," she said. "You can see that they take all the needles out of the plastic."
Rodriguez said more than 100 people donate every day at Bio-Save Resources.
Junior Leonard Martinez said he has donated plasma and that it is a good way to make money and serve the community.
"It's win-win for everyone," he said. "Some people do it to get the extra money, and some people do it just to try and help other people."
Junior Oliver Newkirk said more people should donate.
"I know that in hospitals, we always need a lot of blood plasma, so I think it's important to donate it, especially if someone has a rare blood type," he said. "Oftentimes, it is the kind that gets used up the fastest because not that much people donate blood."
To donate, visit
ZLB Plasma, 204 San Mateo Blvd. S.E.
Yale Blood Plasma, 122 Yale Blvd. S.E.
Bio-Save Resources, 701 Second St. S.W.
