The Power of Your Plasma: 5 Reasons to Consider Donating Today

Your plasma holds an extraordinary power - the power to make a real difference in someone’s life. For over 80 years, plasma has been helping people facing complex and rare health conditions. How does it achieve this? The answer is simple - when you donate plasma, it becomes medicine that can help save lives.

While the recent global pandemic emphasized the vital role of plasma donations, there may still be a widespread lack of awareness about how crucial they are for people worldwide. Plasma donations are especially needed for individuals who’ve experienced burns, shock or have immune disorders, making your contribution more important than ever.

Your plasma is not just a part of you; it has a variety of functions in the body, including helping the body fight disease, and it's a potential source of hope for others. When you generously donate plasma, you contribute to the creation of medicines that serve as lifelines for individuals with rare and chronic conditions and, for many, plasma-derived therapies (PDTs) are their only treatment.

Did you know it could take more than 100 plasma donations to treat one patient living with an immune disorder?

While the exact number of donations needed varies depending on the condition, your regular donations are crucial. By donating plasma, twice in a seven-day period, you can make a real difference in someone's life, helping them have access to plasma medicines to manage their condition and potentially experience a better quality of life.

Even with impressive progress in science, there's just no replicating the unique mix of water, salt, and proteins that form plasma. The medicines created from plasma depend solely on the selfless donations of healthy adults. That's why your plasma is special, and giving plasma makes a big difference.

Giving the gift of plasma is not just impactful; it's also safe and straightforward. The process is low risk, with minimal side effects. Your first visit to a plasma donation center, including a quick check-up, answering some health history questions, and the donation itself, can take about two hours. Return visits are quicker.

Wondering what happens to your body after you donate plasma? The good news is your body naturally restores your plasma in less than 48 hours after donation. To understand this process, know that your new plasma comes from absorbing salts and fluids through your digestive system. As mentioned earlier, plasma is mostly water and salts. Your body can do amazing things on its own, and you can help by staying well-hydrated before and after a donation to restore your plasma levels.

Thanks to the body's swift replenishment of plasma removed during the donation process, healthy individuals may donate as often as twice in a 7-day period, with at least one day between donations. This process emphasizes both the safety and simplicity of plasma donation. To learn more about the donation process, visit our step-by-step guide here.

The great news is donating plasma isn't limited by your blood type, ethnicity, age, or gender. If you are at least 18 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and meet other health criteria, you have the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of others through plasma donation. Your donation center will determine your medical eligibility at your first appointment to further ensure safety for both you and the patient who receives a plasma-derived therapy made from your donated plasma.

Over the past 20 years, the demand for plasma-derived therapies has surged as more rare diseases are identified and more patients receive diagnoses. This has led to an urgent need for individuals to donate plasma. Your donations are crucial in meeting this increasing demand.

Donating plasma offers several meaningful ways to make a difference. First, your unique plasma composition holds the potential to improve and even save lives for individuals with rare and chronic conditions. The specialized proteins found in plasma cannot be replicated in a lab, making your contribution valuable. Remember, the donation process is safe, convenient, and open to a wider range of people than you might think (check eligibility criteria at your local donation center). Because the ongoing demand for plasma remains high, your regular donations can play a crucial role in ensuring these lifesaving treatments are available.

Donating plasma isn't just giving your plasma; it's giving hope to those in need for a chance at a better quality of life. Ready to become a force for good? Find a plasma donation center near you to learn more and schedule your appointment today!