If your goal is to make a difference in the lives of others, consider donating plasma. Your plasma donation can positively impact those with various medical conditions relying on plasma-derived therapies. Further, when you donate plasma, you’re not only helping others—you’re reaping several benefits for yourself as well.
Below, we discuss why donating plasma is one of the quickest ways to make a difference, the benefits of donating plasma, and how your contribution improves others’ lives.
Plasma Donation Benefits: Six Compelling Reasons to Donate Plasma
1. Donating Plasma Helps Save Lives
When you donate plasma, you provide a much-needed substance used to make plasma-derived therapies. These medications treat a wide range of medical conditions, including the following:
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Hemophilia A and B
- Primary Immunodeficiency Disease (PID)
- Kawasaki Disease
- Hereditary Angioedema
- Von Willebrand Disease
- Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
- Antithrombin III Deficiency
- Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
For many of these conditions, plasma-derived therapies are the only effective treatment option available. Since plasma cannot be made in a laboratory, access to treatment depends on donations from people like yourself.
Plasma is also used in emergencies, such as traumatic injuries, severe burns, and blood loss. Having enough plasma to treat patients can make the difference between life and death in these critical moments.
2. Helping Others Boosts Mood and Improves Mental Health
Knowing your donation can help others is a powerful motivator for donating plasma. While your plasma isn’t directly given to one specific person, it goes through a processing and pooling stage to create life-saving medications used to treat a wide range of illnesses, as mentioned above. This sense of contributing to a greater good can positively affect your mental well-being.
Here are some benefits of donating plasma for your mental health:
- Altruistic Behavior and Reduced Stress: Studies suggest that engaging in selfless acts, like donating plasma, can help reduce stress levels. Helping others can take your mind off personal worries, leading to a more positive outlook.
- Sense of Purpose and Increased Self-Esteem: Donating plasma allows you to contribute to something larger than yourself. Knowing your actions can make a positive difference in someone’s life can boost your self-esteem and create a sense of purpose.
3. Plasma Donations Power Treatment Research
Donating plasma is about more than just helping people with existing medical conditions. Your donation can also play a valuable role in medical research and development. Researchers can use plasma to:
- Better understand diseases and the human body’s response to them
- Develop new therapies and vaccines
- Test new medical approaches and techniques, such as in plasma exchange studies
Simply put, your contribution can contribute to future medical breakthroughs. By donating plasma, you provide researchers with crucial materials to advance medical knowledge and potentially discover cures for untreatable diseases.
4. You Get a Free Health Checkup Each Time You Donate
One of the health benefits of donating plasma is the free checkup you get before donating. Your pre-donation screening includes a brief medical interview, a blood pressure check, and a blood test.
This free checkup ensures the safety and quality of the plasma and allows you to monitor your health regularly. If the plasma center detects any potential issues, they will inform you so you can seek medical care from your doctor.
5. Many Plasma Centers Offer Compensation and Incentives
Donating plasma takes time and effort. For this reason, many private plasma donation centers provide financial compensation to their donors. Some also offer incentives and rewards, such as gift cards, referral bonuses for new donors, and special event promotions where you can earn more for your donation.
6. Donating Plasma Only Takes an Hour (or Less)
Many people don’t realize that donating plasma is a relatively fast process. On average, it takes around an hour to complete your donation. Additionally, you can donate twice a week, meaning you can make a significant impact in just a short time.
Plasma centers often provide flexible appointment scheduling. Plus, with many locations across the country, finding a convenient spot to donate is easy.
Make a Difference and Donate Plasma
The benefits of donating plasma aren’t just for the recipients—donors also stand to gain from this positive experience.
Not only will you feel good knowing that your donation is helping others, but you’ll also get the satisfaction of playing an active role in helping people with various medical conditions live healthier, fuller lives.
Ready to donate? Book an appointment online, and visit us at ABO Plasma in Calexico. We also accept walk-in visits.