On any given Tuesday or Thursday afternoon, many students may find themselves snoozing in class, slaving away at a job or staring at the massive amount of homework that’s beginning to pile up as the semester nears an end. But Evan Purcell, an english literature senior at ASU, won’t be joining them. Instead, he lounges away in the air conditioning, lies back to watch a movie and makes the easiest $25 of his life.

Where is he? A plasma donation center.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Purcell walks down to the plasma center near Broadway and Rural roads to donate plasma, which in turn earns him an easy $25 — in cash. “The entire process,” he says, “takes about two hours and feels pretty much the same as giving blood.”

And that’s exactly what it is. After filling out paperwork and going through a short interview process (only concerning medical history), donators lie in a reclining chair and begin pumping their blood. After the liquid portion—the actual plasma—is removed, saline is added to the donor’s blood cells, which are then pumped back into their veins. The entire process is then repeated about five times.

Although the initial visit may take an extra hour or two due to the paperwork required, students will only have to go through the process once, and they’re paid well for their time: The first two visits pay either $25 or $40 each (depending on the donor’s weight), and after that they can donate regularly up to twice a week. Each successive donation after that will pay between $15 to $35 (again, depending on the donor’s weight).

Purcell says the idea first appealed to him when a friend told him that he could make $40 for his first two visits. He needed money and lived near a plasma center, so he decided to check it out.

After seeing the facility, which he describes as “very clean, professional and with the look of a hospital,” and meeting the friendly staff, he decided it was something he wanted to do on a regular basis.

“It’s such an easy way to make money,” he says. “You just lie there watching a movie and you don’t feel a thing.”

Although Evan says that he donates “more for financial reasons,” he adds that “part of it is helping people out,” and that it’s just “a good thing to do.” Many people benefit from plasma donations, as it is used to create therapies and medicine for people with life-threatening diseases.

While some may have good samaritan intentions, other students are interested only in the financial benefits of selling their plasma.

Travis Yost, a business management sophomore at ASU, had never heard of selling plasma until SPM approached him, and he was clearly elated over the idea.

“I’ve never done it,” he says, “but we’re talking $100 in two weeks, and you can [donate] 96 times a year.”

“With the time spent,” he adds, “you could pay off half a year’s rent just donating plasma!”

Although Yost seems to have done his math, SPM was more curious to see if donating was something that he would realistically do on a regular basis. “If a situation arose where I needed extra money,” he says, “I would do it.”

When asked if he thought other students would realistically be interested in donating, he responds, “if they haven’t at least thought about it, then they don’t know about donating plasma.”

Not every student at ASU is thrilled about the idea of selling a part of their own body for cash, however. But for some students, the costs definitely outweigh the benefits.

“My roommate went [to a plasma center] and spent five hours and never got to donate,” notes Elizabeth Lake, an english and political science major. “She just got lost in the shuffle.”

She does admit, however, that she thinks giving plasma, even in exchange for money, is still “doing your part.”

“If you meet the requirements (see below), and don’t mind being tired, then it’s good,” she says, “but it does take a lot out of you.”

Feeling tired after giving plasma can be a normal side effect, one which can be avoided by eating a full meal and drinking lots of water before donating, as the plasma center recommends.

Not just for the homeless

Many students may have the idea that selling plasma is something only homeless people do, and they may be surprised to hear the myth debunked.

“Although selling plasma definitely appeals to adults with lower incomes,” explains Purcell, “one of the requirements is that you have a current home address.” Though he agrees that it is obvious that there are quite a few lower-income adults who donate, he insists that there are lots of students as well.

“I would say the ratio is about half and half,” he says. And while he admits that the outside of the building “looks a little sketchy,” the inside is “very professional and clean.”

All in all, it’s an easy way for students to make a quick $80 this week. So go ahead; buy that extra pair of jeans, venture out to a favorite restaurant again or just hoard the money for a trip somewhere in the future. Times are tough and making a little extra cash has never been easier.

“I would absolutely recommend donating plasma to students who are interested in making extra money,” Purcell says. “If they have free time, even between classes, they can head down, lie back and get pumped.”

If you go...

ZLB Plasma
1000 E Broadway
Tempe, 85282
(480) 894-1330 OR
zlbplasma.com

M-Sun 7A-7P
Must be 110-399 lbs, 18-65 yrs,
Bring ID/Social Security card and
proof of address (a recent piece of mail)

Reach the reporter at wesmith1@asu.edu.