Donate plasma and be a lifesaver

Have you ever considered donating plasma? While many of us are aware of blood donation, plasma donation is another equally vital way to help save lives.

February 5, 2025

Over half of our blood is a liquid called plasma – and donating it is a game-changer. Your plasma can help in 18 life-giving ways, from treating serious burns to cancer.

What is plasma and why should you donate it?

Your blood is made up of three key components. Red cells are the delivery drivers, carrying oxygen to your organs and removing carbon dioxide. Platelets act like emergency responders, rushing to the site of a cut or injury to form clots and stop bleeding. Then there’s plasma. You can think of plasma like a liquid highway that red cells and platelets use to move around your body, but that’s not all. Plasma is also filled with vital proteins, antibodies, clotting factors, nutrients and hormones that are essential to your health and wellbeing.  

With so many vital elements packed into plasma, it’s no wonder doctors and scientists have turned to this life-changing donation time and time again to develop treatments for recipients in need, here are just a few:  

  • Treating immune disorders: The antibodies found in your plasma can be used to create medications like immunoglobulin, which can be a lifeline for people living with auto-immune conditions. 

  • Supporting patients with chronic conditions: Plasma’s clotting factors can be used to create therapies for patients with chronic conditions like haemophilia and other clotting disorders. 

  • Emergency and trauma care: In an emergency plasma has a vital role to play. It can be used to treat severe burns, internal haemorrhaging and other complications that may occur during surgery. 

  • Protecting unborn babies: In some pregnancies, a mother’s immune system can attack her baby’s red blood cells, this is known as Rh disease. To prevent this, doctors can administer anti-D, a special medication made from plasma.  

What’s the difference between plasma and whole blood donation? 

Donating plasma isn’t that different to giving whole blood. Your donation is collected using a single needle, but instead of storing all the donated blood, it’s processed in an apheresis machine where the plasma is removed, and your red blood cells are returned to you. 

Who can donate plasma?

To donate plasma, you should be between the ages of 18 and 75 and meet specific health and lifestyle criteria. The eligibility requirements ensure that the process is safe both for the donor and for those who will receive plasma-derived therapies.

The donation experience

A single plasma donation session takes about 45 minutes, though you should plan for a 1.5-hour appointment to include registration, a health screening, and post-donation recovery. It's a comfortable experience, and many donation centres are equipped with TVs or other forms of entertainment to help you pass the time.

Why give plasma instead of blood?

When you give a blood donation, it contains some plasma. But, when you donate just plasma, you give about twice as much. That’s more plasma to help more people!

Getting started 

Interested in making a significant impact? Contact your local blood bank or plasma collection centre to find out more about the requirements and set up an appointment. Every donation is crucial, and ongoing donor participation is vital to meet the constant need for plasma.

Plasma can be frozen and stored for up to a year, but it’s often needed fresh for certain treatments.  

Source: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood

 

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