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VIDEO: Defeating death

Agnes Marshall, 98, says “I’m looking forward to the zeros”. The eternal optimist is about to enter her second century of life. “I think it will be an exciting time!” She attributes her good health to lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, daily exercise and having “something to look forward to every day”.

Mary Whitehurst, 110, is Australia’s oldest person, and was born in the Welsh village of Maerdy on New Year’s Day in 1905. Since 2007 she’s lived in a care facility in Sunbury, Victoria, where she entertains residents with daily piano recitals. “I have had a big life, a long life… I am thankful, very thankful,” Mary says, advising “you must get up and get doing”.

See the full story on overcoming age in the May-June issue of Australian Geographic (AG#132).

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