Biomat plasma donation center holds promotion for the month of October

As the school year begins the number of plasma donations received at Grifols Biomat USA plasma donation center are rapidly increasing. At the start of each school year a large population of Utah State University students start regularly donating plasma. Brynne Allen, the operational supervisor at the Logan Biomat center said the university greatly impacts donations.

“Since this is a college town about half of our donors are students who are living in Logan going to school," Allen said. “It gets busier and busier once the school year starts, once students figure out their schedules or realize they are out of money. The peak donation period is in the month of November.”

This coming month, the Logan Biomat USA plasma donation center is having a fall donation promotion. Donors who come in and give plasma regularly can receive up to $35 in bonuses. After the fifth time donating in the month of October, donors receive a $5 bonus, on the sixth time donors receive a $10 bonus and on the seventh time donors receive a $20 bonus.

“I think it is a great location with it being a college town. Students can get extra spending money, or get their roommates to donate. It helps everyone who donates because donors are getting some extra money and we in turn get plasma which we are always in need of. Right now they are having a shortage of plasma, they do not have enough to supply the high demand,” Allen said.

Donations take approximately an hour and a half, two and a half hours for the donor's first visit, and can be made up to two times in a seven day period. Donors receive $25 for their first donation of the week and $40 for their second.

“Proteins found in plasma help are used in medications that treat many things ranging from immune deficiency, genetic emphysema, or hemophilia,” said Lennie Gary, the executive administrator of Logan Biomat USA. “Treatment for hemophilia for one patient for only one year uses the plasma of over a thousand donors. These proteins cannot be created in a lab, and that is why it is so important that we get people to donate regularly.

More information on Plasma and what is done with donations can be found on the Grifols website http://www.grifolsplasma.com. Facts and information on the donation procedure can be found at http://biomatusalogan.blogspot.com