Professor Janis Swan began donating blood as an undergraduate in her first year of university when there was a mobile blood drive there and she decided to ‘give it a go’. Since then, she has donated regularly in different cities and countries around the world but most frequently at her workplace. Although Professor Swan has lost track of her donation count, she hit the 50 milestone a few years ago.

“It’s easy and it doesn’t hurt at all. You get a free blood pressure measurement if you’re above a certain age, information about your haemoglobin levels and refreshments.

Blood is a critical fluid in the body – without it, we die. That’s what’s motivated me to continue donating throughout the years, that and the biscuits…”