New Blog 1: Biolife Bloomington

Sunday, 14 October 2012

Biolife Bloomington

If students could get paid for sitting in a cozy chair, listening to music and doing homework for an hour or two, they would, right?BioLife Plasma Services in Bloomington is a center devoted entirely to plasma donation. It offers donors $20 for one donation in a seven-day period, and $30 for the second donation in that period. There is a limit of two donations per week, with at least one day in between each of those visits. There must be at least 48 hours between donations, but the body replaces plasma removed during the donation process quickly, according to the BioLife Web site."The reason why they're willing to pay so much for (plasma) is because there's so much of a human need for it," said Omar Faiz, the manager of BioLife. "It's vital for life for some people."According to the BioLife Web site, "plasma is the pale yellow liquid portion of your blood that can be easily replaced by the body. It consists mainly of water and proteins, which help your body control bleeding and infection."Plasma is necessary for various medical purposes, such as treating hemophilia patients, burn victims and children with primary immunodeficiency disorders, Faiz said."There's no good way to make plasma," Faiz said. "The only way you can get it is from people donating."Faiz said about 50 percent of donors are students. As other students learn of this opportunity for quick cash, more and more donate. During the past six months, the number of donors increased 25 percent.