A Kind and Brilliant Hematologist Will Be Missed

22 February 2024

Dr. Anna Janowska-Wieczorek​

It is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the passing of ​Anna Janowska-Wieczorek​, PhD,​ Professor ​Emeritus, who was a distinguished researcher and esteemed member of our Department and academic community.

Anna's academic journey began at the Medical School in Warsaw, Poland, and she later became a notable figure at the Institute of Hematology in Warsaw. In the early 1980s, she and her husband, Krzysztof, embarked on a new chapter in Canada, joining the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta. Anna commenced her tenure with the Department of Medicine on January 1, 1984, as a PhD/Basic Scientist.​ She ​became a Professor on June 6, 2012, and Professor Emeritus on April 1, 2013.

Anna's pioneering studies in stem cell transplantations, cellular therapies, and hematopoiesis have left an indelible mark on medical science. Her contributions were not only impactful in the laboratory but also endeared her to colleagues.

Colleagues fondly remember Anna as a friend, with one expressing, "She was a brilliant hematology researcher in the Division of Hematology. She will be missed."

A Prayer Service and Celebration of Anna's Life will be held on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. at the Connelly-McKinley Downtown Funeral Home in Edmonton,​ followed by a reception. She will be laid to rest in Warsaw, Poland, at the Powazki Cemetery.

In this time of loss, our thoughts are with Anna's family in Poland, Germany, and France, as well as with her colleagues and friends in Edmonton who had the privilege of sharing in her warmth and wisdom.

Sincerely,

Narmin Kassam, MD, MHPE, FRCPC, FACP
Professor and Chair, Department of Medicine