Gia Tran donated $15,000 to the BC Cancer Foundation over 21 years.

This 62-Year-Old Woman Collects Cans to Donate for Charity

Kindness and generosity are innate to a person whichever age, race, religion, belief, preferences. It is not actually how much they can give, but the essence and purpose of giving.

And one of them is a 62-year-old woman from Vancouver.

Gia Tran

Meet Gia Tran.

Almost every single day, Gia pays the office of the B.C. Cancer Foundation a visit.

She collects up to three large bags full of cans to bring it to a recycle shop in exchange for money. Every day, Gia visit and hands over the cash to the foundation bringing her huge smile and some loving words about the charity.

Tran collects empty drink containers in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood. 

Whenever the workers at the charity’s office see Gia entering, they know they’re in for their highlight of the day.

Every day, Gia comes by with a small amount of cash in hand, but all those smaller amounts have definitely added up over the years. She has been doing it for over two decades!

“No matter what kind of day you’re having, when Gia comes in, you forget about it and just focus on her warmth, laughter and her true benevolence,” Sarah Roth of the B.C. Cancer Foundation told.

Gia always wear her happy face.

Gia’s children often try to convince her to just stay at home, but this woman’s generosity and her huge heart for other people is just too strong.

“My kids say, ‘Mom, I don’t want you to go outside. It’s too cold,'” Tran said. “I say: ‘No, I go. I want to help people. I want to go to the hospital — cancer. I help people.’

Once she’s collected enough cans, she begins her trip to the recycle depot. Carrying her bags of cans, bus drivers often refuse to transport Gia with her bags of bottles, so she usually goes to the return depot on foot.

Gia visiting the BC Cancer Foundation.

The trip from her home to the foundation’s office takes about 45 minutes on a good day. However, she says that she spends up to an hour and a half traveling to the office during the winter.

Gia herself doesn’t really have a reason why she chose this charity, as she just wants to see people happy.

Gia has a big heart for others.

It’s an amazing story of gratitude, of true altruism and proof that there are still good people in this world that help others without anything for exchange.

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

- Maya Angelou