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Walk into the lobby. Sign your name to the waiting list. Complete a test about your medical history. Let them take your blood pressure, check your protein, weigh you, and send you on your way. Walk into a room full of whirring machines, people in white coats, and stiff, brown recliners.
The worst part about this is you haven’t been committed, or come against your own will; you volunteered to be poked and prodded this way. As the nurse smiles at you and prepares to poke your arm with a needle that looks as big as your head, you remember why you’re doing this. And even though it’s not much, it’s a little reassuring. Donating plasma can do so much for other people, and you’re getting paid to donate.
“It’s kind of sad, actually,” says Matthew Weber, a phlebotomist at Octapharma Plasma, Inc. in Sioux City, Iowa. “For some people, donating plasma is the difference between having food on the table and going hungry. If they get turned away, that’s it.”
Since the recession hit, plasma donation statistics have skyrocketed. More and more plasma donation centers are opening. In just the past two year, two centers have opened in Sioux City. It’s one way for people to supplement their income when the company their working for has cut hours or they get laid off. Plasma donation can earn donors up to $200 per month.
Donors have many different reasons for donating plasma. Some people do it for the satisfaction of helping people who are suffering from diseases like hemophilia. A donor may simply be motivated by the money. But for Sommer Fults, the reason hits closer to home.
“My son, Braylon, needs medication that is plasma based. He’s only two, but he has to be poked with a needle twice a week for treatment,” says Fults. “I decided if he can do it, so can I.”
Donations are screened much the same way blood donations are. They are tested for HIV and hepatitis, and donors are screened periodically for syphilis. Upon their first donation, donors also undergo a physical and general health check.
And though it’s time consuming, Fults says, it’s worth it.
“The physical took a couple of hours. I was really nervous. It’s a little different when the needle is coming at you instead of someone else. But Braylon and his health are my first priority. I’d rather take the time to donate and know I’m helping my son,” Fults concludes.
Plasma donation creates treatments for hemophilia and immune deficiency disorders.