GRANDVILLE, MI -- BioLife Plasma Services, a firm that collects the plasma in blood for life-saving treatments, will open its third facility next summer.
It’s a sign of the generosity of West Michigan residents, who are compensated for their donations.
“This area has proved to be very supportive,” Cristin Frei, operations project manager, said during a recent groundbreaking for the new $6 million facility being built at 6331 Kenowa Ave. “This is the first time we’ve had sister facilities this close together.”
BioLife Plasma Services already operates locations in Walker and Kentwood, where weekly donations continue to climb, Frei said.
Donors receive $20 or more for each hour-long visit.
The Deerfield, Ill.-based BioLife Plasma Services is owned by the publicly traded Baxter Health Co., which turns the donated plasma into life-saving products.
Don Kappo, a Marshall father of four, says he depends on the company and its army of donors to keep him alive. He receives a weekly treatment of immuneglobulin to combat his primary immune deficiency syndrome, which makes him susceptible to life-threatening infections.
“It provides me as an opportunity to raise my kids and just have a normal life,” Kappo said. “These kind of places and people who donate blood plasma help people like me.”
Each of his treatments requires 10 to 20 people giving plasma, he said.
Plasma is the yellow liquid portion of whole blood that can be easily replaced by the body. It makes up about 55 percent of whole blood and consists primarily of water and proteins that help the body control bleeding and infection, company representatives said.
A donor is hooked up to a machine that collects the blood, and then separates the plasma from the other whole blood components, including red and white blood cells and platelets. As the plasma is collected, the other blood components are pumped into a reservoir and then later returned to the donor.
Because the body quickly replaces the plasma removed during the donation process, healthy individuals can donate as often as twice in a seven-day period with at least one day between donations.
“We appreciate the continued support of West Michigan donors who currently donate their life-saving plasma at our Walker and Kentwood locations,” said Sara Zonyk, center manager of the Grandville location.
The one-story, 16,500-square-foot facility is on track to open in late July 2014. It will feature a donor floor with up to 72 beds, free wifi and even a supervised playroom where children are welcomed free of charge during a parent’s donation.
The Grandville BioLife Plasma Services will initially employ 35 workers.
The bio-tech company has had a presence in the Grand Rapids area for more than two decades, although its moniker changed in 2001 from CBR, triggered by a merger with BioLife.
BioLife Plasma Services operates 68 plasma donation centers throughout the U.S., including five in Michigan.
The plasma collected is processed into a variety of life-saving therapeutics, including treatment for patients with hemophilia and immune disorders, and for use as blood volume replacement and tissue sealing.
Shandra Martinez covers business for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. Email her or follow her on Twitter @shandramartinez.