Nominated by: Jennifer Neill
A RESILIENT grandmother who fought back from a serious illness to be there for her grandchildren has been nominated for the Grandparent of the Year award.
Nominator Jennifer Neill said her mum, Marie Browne, was suddenly taken ill last October while returning from a “trip of a lifetime” in Canada and spent five weeks in intensive care followed by a further two weeks on the main ward.
At the time, Ms Neill was newly pregnant and also had a three-year-old daughter, Poppy.
Against the odds, Mrs Browne made a full recovery with minimal long-term damage. Ms Neill believes her determination was driven in part by her desire to meet her new granddaughter, Lilly, as well as to be there for Poppy.
Ms Neill described her mum as “the strongest woman I know” and an “incredible example of health”, adding that doctors credited her recovery at the age of 70 to the good health and healthy lifestyle she had maintained before becoming ill.
She said Mrs Browne still took her grandchildren swimming every week and could keep up with them at the park.
Describing her mum as “my rock”, Ms Neill said: “I am blessed to have her and so grateful she is still with us today.”
