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 country鈥檚 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.

鈥淵ou betcha, 鈥榯ill I鈥檓 100. I鈥檒l be 96 in August,鈥� Janyk told reporters Wednesday before donating blood at a Canadian Blood Services centre in Vancouver, where she was recognized as Canada鈥檚 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 that鈥檚 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.

鈥淚 hope I鈥檝e saved a baby, because I take no medication, but (take) seven vitamins every night.鈥�

Canadian Blood Services spokesman Marcelo Dominguez says Janyk is a paragon of the agency.

鈥淚t is an example we hope others will want to follow,鈥� he said, as Janyk鈥檚 family surrounded her. 鈥漌e鈥檙e all very lucky to have you. It鈥檚 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.鈥�

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 doesn鈥檛 take naps and tries to keep busy with crochet, needlepoint and making rosaries.

Janyk says her proudest achievement is the family she鈥檚 created. Her son Barry Janyk, a former mayor of Gibsons, B.C., spoke glowingly of his mother.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why, but I think we鈥檙e more proud of her, because all I can say is if I was 95 and still giving blood, I think that鈥檚 an accomplishment in anybody鈥檚 world.鈥�

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-grandmother鈥檚 message to anyone afraid to give is simple: 鈥淣o pain, 20 minutes, then you鈥檒l gain.鈥�

Spencer Harwood, The Canadian Press

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
Like us on and follow us on .