This 95-year-old Canadian grandmother has donated her blood more than 200 times


At 95 years old, Canada's oldest blood donor is happy to keep on giving. Beatrice "Granny Bea" Janyk has been donating blood ever since her husband nearly died from a sawmill accident in the 1940s. She's given blood more than 200 times to no fanfare, but last week Canadian blood services honored her with a special ceremony and pin. "Knowing that I can save someone's life, that's so important," says the great-grandmother, who takes no medications so her O-positive blood can be used for children and infant transfusions.
Janyk's message to anyone who's afraid of giving blood is simple: "No pain, 20 minutes, then you'll gain."
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Christina Colizza is chief researcher and writer at The Week magazine.
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