donate blood plasma
ZLB Plasma Services has found its niche in northern Colorado by paying people for plasma.

The process is similar to donating whole blood. A needle draws blood from a vein in the arm, but then the plasma is separated from the red blood cells, which are returned to the donor.

Located in Fort Collins, Evans and Aurora, ZLB Plasma Services attracts individuals like Preston Zanella, who are looking for some extra cash.
Zanella, a junior at Colorado State University, has been donating plasma twice a week for about four months. Though he has another job, he said the extra cash is worth it.

“I feel bad asking my parents for extra money,” he said. This way, he doesn’t have to.

Zanella said he makes about $200 a month. Payment is determined by a person’s weight. The process is usually pretty quick but can take longer if the office is crowded. Donors must be 18 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Potential donors undergo a medical examination.

According to the ZLB Web site, the maximum frequency of donation is once in two days and no more than two times in a seven-day period.

Possible side effects include dizziness, fainting, nausea, convulsions and shock. To minimize side effects, a person should drink 16-24 ounces of liquid and eat a regular meal within three or four hours of donating.

“There is currently a critical need for plasma products,” said Sheri Sutton, manager of ZLB Plasma Services in Evans. “While ZLB Plasma Services compensates donors for their time, the reward is much greater in knowing that you have helped to save and improve life.”

For more information, visit www.zlbplasma.com.

In Evans:
ZLB Plasma Services
3505 11th Ave., Evans
330-3558

In Fort Collins:
ZLB Plasma Services
1228 W. Elizabeth St., Fort Collins
484-2248

donate sperm
Those little swimmers can be donated to a sperm bank to earn some green and help others. CryoGam in Loveland, a privately owned sperm bank, has been in business for about 15 years. For those who are accepted, the company pays $40 per donation.

Betsy Cairo, owner and director of CryoGam, said specific requirements must be met for a donor to be accepted. Though the turn-around time make take a little longer, donating sperm is another way to build up your cash flow.

Donors must be between the ages of 18 and 35, must have been or are currently in college and must be committed to donating once a week for six months.

According to the CryoGam Web site, the company may screen for genetic diseases such as Tay-Sachs, sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis.

Cairo said they turn down 85 percent of applicants for various reasons. Still, many feel it is worth a try.

For more information, visit www.cryogam.com.

Cryoam Colorado
2216 Hoffman Dr. Unit B, Loveland
667-9901

donate eggs
While donating eggs is a much more involved process than sperm donation, places such as the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine do compensate donors for their time.

The Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine is at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood and also has offices at Rose Medical Center in Denver, Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree and Avista Hospital in Louisville.

Eligible applicants are between the age of 19 and 32 and go through a rigorous screening process. Less than 10 percent are admitted into the program. Those admitted to the program earn $5,000 upon completion of their egg donation and $5,500 for each additional donation. However, according to the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine’s Web site, many women find a greater reward than the money: Being able to help a another couple to become a family.

The process is lengthy. The first step to becoming an egg donor is to be a nonsmoker in good health with a specific height-to-weight ratio. Applicants must complete a personal history form. This is followed by blood work and ultrasound testing. A physical exam and medical history is also required.

The donor will then have an educational meeting before being matched anonymously with a recipient couple. Several other educational meetings will be scheduled throughout the process. The donor is placed on birth control pills for one to two months. Then will take fertility medications for seven to 10 days. During this time, the donor will come in every morning for half an hour for blood work and an ultrasound.

Finally, the donor will undergo a surgical procedure so the stimulated eggs can be retrieved.

Risks are minor, but they can include a condition called ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome and various side effects from the medications. On rare occasions, excessive bleeding from the surgical procedure may require further surgical procedures.

For more information, visit www.coloeggdonor.com.

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