How It Works
At Life Plasma Blood Centers, we strive to ensure our donors have a safe, pleasant and rewarding experience. Here’s everything you need to know about donating. To make it convenient for you, there is no need to make an appointment. Just walk-in and donate any time Monday to Friday between 9AM-6PM.
Before Donating
When you arrive at Life Plasma, you’ll be greeted by a receptionist who will review your documentation. Please arrive with the following documents:
- Driver’s License or Current photo I.D. (and a mail postmarked within last 30-days showing your new address, if different from the address on your current Photo I.D.)
- Social Security Card (Any official form containing Social Security Number like W2 or tax return)
It’s important to drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal before you arrive. Also, notify center personnel if you had recent surgery, you’ve obtained a tattoo or piercing recently, or if you are taking medication or are under a doctor’s care for any medical condition.
On all visits, you’ll be asked to fill out a Donor History Questionnaire, and a center technician will check your vital signs and take a small blood sample from your finger to check your hematocrit, and total protein levels, depending on the type of program that you will be participating in.
You should NOT be…
Pregnant.
Showing signs of flu or cold.
Under care for any serious illness or injury.
Give Blood
To be eligible, donors must be:
- 16-69 years of age
- Weigh at least 110 pounds
- Be in good health
- O+, A+, O-, & B- blood types
If you are 16, download the Parental Consent Form below. You do not need to provide the Parental Consent Form if you are 17 or older. You can donate every 56 days. It takes 10 minutes to donate, and the entire process may take up to 1 hour.
Give Plasma
If it’s your first visit, you’ll be given a physical. You can donate plasma twice in a 7-day period with at least 2 days between donations. Example: If you donate Monday of this week, the earliest you can donate again is Wednesday. If you donate on Wednesday, you can only donate again next Monday and Wednesday. It takes about an hour to donate plasma and the process for a new donor takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
To be eligible, donors must be:
- 18-69 years of age.
- Weigh at least 110 pounds.
- Be in good health.
Give Platelets
You must be at least 16 years old to participate after parental consent. You do not need to provide parental consent if you are 17 or older. You can donate every 7 days with a maximum of 24 donations a year. It takes 2-3 hours for a platelet donation.
To be eligible, donors must be:
- 16-69 years of age.
- Weigh at least 110 pounds.
- Be in good health.
During the Donation
If the center staff determines that you are eligible to donate, you will be taken to the donation area and seated in a comfortable reclining chair/bed, where a technician will sanitize your arm, insert the needle, and begin the donation process.
During a Blood donation, blood is collected in a single bag. During Plasma donation, your blood is drawn into an Apheresis machine, plasma is separated from your blood and collected in a sterile container. Your remaining blood is returned to you. All disposables are sterile and single use. So, there is no risk of your blood coming in contact with anyone else’s blood.
Blood donation takes about 10-15 minutes, plasma donation up to 1 hour, and platelet donation can be up to 2-3 hours.
After Donation
Compensation
Plasma donors get up to $100 for your Plasma donation and up to $6,000 a year when you donate plasma twice a week. Compensation is only offered for plasma donations.
Blood and Platelet donors are not paid. Donors may be provided a non-monetary gift that is not convertible to cash in compliance with FDA’s 21 CFR 606.121(c)(8)(v)(C)) and 43 FR at 2142-43.
EARN UP TO
$6,000