Wheelchair Gift to Centenarian

What a happy occasion it was for this American couple Don Bennion (left) and Marlene (right) last Saturday (December 18) when they were able to gift a wheelchair to this 104 years centenarian M. P. Mary Nona in the HealthWatch coordinated Prof. Colvin Goonaratna Centenarian Study.

The presentation took place at the Malwana Home of the centenarian in Kelaniya, amidst her family gathering which included fourteen children, grand and great grandchildren.  Mr. and Mrs. Bennion are volunteer members of the Latter Day Saint (LDS) Charities of the United States, which together with the Wheelchair Foundation of the States made the donation. 

Mr. Bennion, a retired electronic engineer in Utah in the States said this was the first time in his life that he had met a centenarian. The oldest person he had met up to now had been a 90 year-old uncle of his.  Mr. Bennion, who feels honoured to have been able to gift a wheelchair to this centenarian, is amazed at her health status, even at this centenarian stage in her life, where she can clearly see without glasses, and thinking not impaired.

The Bennions greatly admired the way the centenarians children and young grandchildren were caring and looking after her. They felt that this is something that should be emulated by families in the developed world.  Mr. Bennion said, “What a blessing it is to have a centenarian in a family, and the rare opportunity to have to care for them and look into their needs. There is nothing greater on this earth than human life.”

The Bennions highly commended the HealthWatch coordinated Prof. Colvin Goonaratna Centenarian Study project.