Beatrice Janyk credits vitamins, 12 hours of sleep a day and a busy mind for allowing her to donate blood regularly for most of the last 70 years.
At 95, Canadian Blood Services says Janyk is the countryB次元官网网址檚 oldest blood donor.
The great-grandmother and Coquitlam, B.C., resident has been donating blood since the late 1940s and says she has no plans to stop.
B次元官网网址淵ou betcha, B次元官网网址榯ill IB次元官网网址檓 100. IB次元官网网址檒l be 96 in August,B次元官网网址� Janyk told reporters Wednesday before donating blood at a Canadian Blood Services centre in Vancouver, where she was recognized as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 oldest blood donor.
Janyk has advocated for blood donation since her now-deceased husband Bill was injured in a sawmill accident in 1948 and nearly died from a hepatitis infection he later contracted from contaminated blood. Though she was forced to stop donating blood at age 71 in Canada due to an age restriction, Janyk continued in 2005 after it was lifted.
When she could no longer donate blood in Canada, Janyk rolled up her sleeve at the Bloodworks offices in Bellingham, Wash., and was awarded a celebratory pin for donating 20 gallons of blood. Canadian Blood Services says thatB次元官网网址檚 the equivalent of 170 donations in Canada.
Janyk, whose blood type is O-positive, says she takes no medications so her blood can be used for children and infant transfusions, adding that makes her incredibly proud.
B次元官网网址淚 hope IB次元官网网址檝e saved a baby, because I take no medication, but (take) seven vitamins every night.B次元官网网址�
Canadian Blood Services spokesman Marcelo Dominguez says Janyk is a paragon of the agency.
B次元官网网址淚t is an example we hope others will want to follow,B次元官网网址� he said, as JanykB次元官网网址檚 family surrounded her. B次元官网网址漌eB次元官网网址檙e all very lucky to have you. ItB次元官网网址檚 the perfect time for our organization to say thank you to a donor like you, who has been giving blood and saving lives for decades.B次元官网网址�
Janyk says her secret to youth and happiness is going to bed early, getting up early, and keeping busy throughout the day. An avid cribbage player, Janyk says she doesnB次元官网网址檛 take naps and tries to keep busy with crochet, needlepoint and making rosaries.
Janyk says her proudest achievement is the family sheB次元官网网址檚 created. Her son Barry Janyk, a former mayor of Gibsons, B.C., spoke glowingly of his mother.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know why, but I think weB次元官网网址檙e more proud of her, because all I can say is if I was 95 and still giving blood, I think thatB次元官网网址檚 an accomplishment in anybodyB次元官网网址檚 world.B次元官网网址�
Along with her sons Barry, Robert, and Bill, Janyk was joined by her grandson Garrett, and granddaughter Britt Janyk, who skied with the Canadian Olympic team.
The great-grandmotherB次元官网网址檚 message to anyone afraid to give is simple: B次元官网网址淣o pain, 20 minutes, then youB次元官网网址檒l gain.B次元官网网址�
Spencer Harwood, The Canadian Press
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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