Grandmother Celebrates 100th Birthday, Beats Coronavirus, Cancer, and Pneumonia

100-year-old grandmother 100th birthday coronavirus

By Staff Reporter , Parent Herald Jun 30, 09:57 pm

Leora Martin went through a lot. Setting aside the fact that she is already 100 years old now and was alive during World War II, the grandmother from Indiana has beaten many obstacles. Such obstables include cancer, pneumonia, and just recently, the 100-year-old grandmother beats the coronavirus.

According to a report from ABC News, Martin was in an assisted living facility when she was diagnosed with coronavirus. One week before she celebrated her 100th birthday last June 20, she was declared COVID-19 free.

(Photo : Photo from Greenleaf Health Campus Facebook Page)
Grandmother Celebrates 100th Birthday, Beats Coronavirus, Cancer and Pneumonia

Health struggles of the 100-year-old grandmother

Martin survived cancer. In an article by WHAS, she said that her experience dealing with cancer was uncomfortable. The 100-year-old grandmother said, "I had to go to the hospital for five days with rods in my body -- that was not comfortable, but I survived."

Last year, Martin also had to recover from pneumonia. During that time, Martin said no one thought she would survive. However, the 100-year-old grandmother did.

Just this year, another health struggle came her way as she contracted the coronavirus.

The battle against the coronavirus

The 100-year-old grandmother was one of the 76 residents at Greenleaf Health Campus that got infected with the coronavirus last April.

She was asymptomatic when she was diagnosed with the coronavirus. However, she lost her appetite and was always exhausted.

Martin'sThrough her daughter, Marilou Snell, Martin's family shares that they were devastated when they learned that Martin was infected with the coronavirus. Snell said, "You read and hear all these terrible things and of course, right away, you fear the worst, so it was really hard."

Snell was not able to visit her mother at the facility. The Greenleaf Health Campus was on lockdown during the time Martin was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Martin's daughter said that despite their worry about their mother's condition, they were comforted by the staff of the facility who frequently updates them.

On June 13, one week before Martin's birthday, she was tested negative of the coronavirus. Martin said that after knowing she was free of the virus, she felt relieved.

Last week, the entire Greenleaf was also declared free of the coronavirus.

100th birthday celebration

Martin has a twin sister named Delora Bloomingdale. The two celebrated their 100th birthday via Zoom. They had a short talk and even sang a Happy Birthday song to each other.

Snell was also able to visit her mother during her 100th birthday.

Despite all of the health struggles that Leora went through, she remains lively and energetic. During the celebration of her 100th birthday, she held a sign saying, "COVID-19 can't stop me from turning 100."

Indeed she is unstoppable, considering everything she went through.

When asked about what her secret is to have a long life, she answered, "Keep moving. Also, keep loving other people."