GREENACRES, Fla. — A new plasma donation center has opened in Greenacres.
The state-of-the-art facility will help meet the increased demand for more donations and help those suffering from life-threatening diseases.
Its CSL Plasma's 300th location in the U.S. The company is one of the world's largest collectors of human plasma, based in Boca Raton.
"Plasma collected at CSL Plasma collection centers is the critical ingredient necessary to help manufacture life-saving therapies that CSL Behring delivers to people suffering rare and serious diseases in more than 100 countries," said CSL Plasma Senior Vice President and General Manager Willy Pardiñas. "There is a critical and ongoing need for human plasma to produce these life-saving and life-improving medicines."
Plasma is a liquid that carries red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. It's used to produce therapies that treat diseases such as primary immunodeficiencies, hereditary angioedema, inherited respiratory disease, hemophilia, and other bleeding and neurological disorders.
Jenny Gardner is one such person who relies on plasma-derived therapies. Her life has been affected by a primary immunodeficiency since she was a child. She was not diagnosed until her mid-40s.
It's a rare disorder, I was born without part of my immune system. And so it's not something you can't fix, because it's not there. So I live off other people's immune systems," said Gardner. "I am convinced if I didn't have the treatments, they tell us we're just one infection away from dying. Now, that doesn't mean it's the next one. But there's one out there that we will not be able to fight."
As an incentive, the center is offering compensation for those who donate plasma.
Donors must be in good health, between the ages of 18-74, weigh at least 110 pounds, have no new tattoos or piercings within the last four months, meet eligibility and screening requirements. and have valid identification and a permanent address.
To learn more about donating plasma and find a local CSL Plasma Center, click here.
The facility is located at 3961 Jog Road. It's open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
