How to Donate Plasma in Tucson

Plasma is a portion of your blood that consists of water and antibodies that fight blood disorders such as hemophilia. Despite consisting of 92 percent water and only 8 percent antibodies, the uses of plasma are numerous. From improving the quality of life for patients with blood disease to providing transfusions for patients with serious burns or during surgical complications, your donated plasma is valuable. If you are a Tucson resident eligible to donate your plasma, there are several plasma donation centers in the city from which you can choose.

Instructions

• 1

  Call the Tucson plasma center you want to donate to and inquire whether or not you are an eligible donor. You must be at least 18 years of age but not more than 64 years of age. You may not be pregnant or have been pregnant in the past 12 months. You must not have obtained any tattoos or body piercings in the past 12 months and you cannot be a smoker. You must be a United States citizen to donate.

• 2

  Visit the plasma center to fill out a preliminary application for donation. You must show valid photo identification and proof of your residency, such as a birth certificate. Once you fill out your application, you will meet with a physician for a full physical exam and blood work and to discuss your medical history.

• 3

  Schedule a time to come back to donate once your blood work comes back clean. Bring entertainment, as first-time donations typically take between one and two hours to complete. Books, iPods and magazines are acceptable forms of entertainment. To donate, you are hooked to a machine that extracts your blood, separates the plasma from your blood and returns your blood to your body, keeping only the plasma portion.

• 4

  Receive payment for your services. Most donation centers offer financial incentive for donors. See the center's front desk for more information.