Alberta woman earns world record for donating blood

March 24 (UPI) -- An 80-year-old Alberta woman who has been regularly donating blood for nearly six decades earned the Guinness World Record for the most whole blood donated (female).

Guinness World Records said Josephine Michaluk, 80, began donating blood at age 22 in 1965, and in the years since she has donated a total 203 units of blood. A unit of blood is roughly equivalent to a pint.

Michaluk said her sister talked her into her first donation.

"I decided I would join her and that was the beginning," she told GWR.

Michaluk, whose blood type is the in-demand O+, said she likes knowing her donations are helping others.

"I feel like I have it in me to give," she said. "I can share it to people that need it."