Students looking for a way to spread goodwill and put extra money in their pockets this holiday season can make up to $200 a month by donating plasma.

Geoff Mosby, assistant manager for BioLife Plasma Services, 1618 Golden Aspen Drive, said the first time people donate, they will receive $20. If they come back within the same week, they will be paid $30.

Mosby said college students who are strapped for funds are paid for their time and save lives when they donate plasma.

“Sixty to 70 percent of our clients are students,” he said.

Mosby said donating plasma isn’t time-consuming.

“[With screening time], the total time rounds to one and a half to two hours,” he said.

Mosby said it is perfectly safe for people to donate their plasma twice a week.

“The standard for the U.S. is to donate two times every seven days, but not more than every other day,” said Lauri Dusselier, health promotions supervisor for Thielen Student Health Center.

All donation centers keep track of how often a person donates to ensure the health of those who try to donate more than twice a week, said Jen Tolinson, center manager for BioLife Plasma Services.

Potential donors must go through a pre-screening physical the first time they donate to ensure they are healthy, Mosby said. A blood sample is tested for iron and protein levels. Vital signs are checked and a brief medical history is taken from the client.

Dusselier said as long as a donor doesn’t feel run down and he or she has a healthy diet with adequate amounts of fluids and protein, it’s safe to donate without feeling light-headed, sick or dizzy.

Mosby said because the center is controlled by the Federal Drug Administration and other agencies, some people aren’t allowed to donate to ensure the safety of the products made from the plasma.

During the actual donation, the blood is drawn in a process called plasmaphoresis. Before the process, an anti-coagulant is mixed into the blood stream. The blood goes into an autophoresis machine, where it is spun through a nylon fiber to separate the plasma from the other blood components. The remaining white and red blood cells and platelets are then returned to the donor, Mosby said.

The plasma is first tested for diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. From there, plasma is placed in a shock freezer and is frozen solid in two hours.

Freezing the plasma ensures the proteins remain inside and are available for use, Mosby said. After the flash-freezing process, the plasma is stored in a normal-temperature freezer to await shipping.

Plasma helps a wide variety of people.

Dusselier said donated plasma goes to help burn victims, critically ill newborns, patients with bleeding disorders, accident victims, cardiovascular surgery patients, patients with immune deficiencies and others in life-threatening situations. These patients are in situations or have disorders in which their plasma levels are low.

“Plasma donation benefits the donor because the donor will feel good knowing they save a life,” said Dusselier.