BY VINCENT GODWIN
A PAIR of identical twins celebrated their 100th birthday yesterday, furthering the scientific view that life expectancy is becoming longer. Recent studies from the University college of London (UCL) show life expectancy in England and Wales to be on the increase of late in modern times. According to the research women’s anticipated life span will increase to 87.6 years and men’s to 85.7 years for people living in England and Wales in 15 years’ time.That’s up from a respective 83.3 years and 79.5 years for people alive in 2012. we are likely to see more and more twins reaching the ripe old age of 100 because of this.
Millie Lambert and Ruby Lister were not given much hope of survival at birth, and both weighed between 2.5 and 3 pounds at their birth.. Though the family don’t know their exact weight, both weighed between 2.5 and three pounds when born.Their small size made doctors pessimistic about their chances of survival, and their parents were told to brace themselves for the worst as far as any expectations or hope of ever raising them at all as children. However, the pair defied the odds and have now reached their 100th birthday.
The pair celebrated their 100th birthday yesterday in Grays with a “tipple” surrounded by their families.
They got together for celebrations at the Piggs Corner Complex off Southend Road, Grays, where Ruby lives.
Millie lives at Oak House care home in Stanford-le-Hope. Both were also having separate celebrations with extended family late in the day. Celebrations spread wide with more than one celebration happening at different venues in the day with extended members of the family. At 100, they also survived both world war 1 and world war II-incredible odds given the initial set back that threatened the survival from the outset.
Ruby has lived to have two children, four grandchildren and eight great children. Her twin, Mille also has two children, six grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Millie told reporters that her secret to long life is to have a ”tipple”(that is a drink)
MISCHIEF
A mischievous story has always passed round the family that the pair many times swapped partners with the other none the wiser in their younger days for the sake of fun and pleasure. This is possible when twins are identical like they are, a boyfriend maay not always be able to tell them apart, or may even pretend for the sake of enjoying the other twin.
With each passing year, newly born children eventually live about three months longer than those born the previous year, so in the future we will see this happening more and more. Medical advancement account for longer years on general but does not necessarily improve the quality of life. A cancer patient who beats the deadly disease can now live longer than would have been possible without the medical competence to sometimes beat diseases like cancer. However, the patient’s quality of life may remain poor during the time of treatment which could last for months. Eye of media has learned from her care workers that the twins have lived devoid of any major illness for the vast majority of their lives.
GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS
Lambeth and Lister are now in the top 15 of oldest twins to have lived and are just 3 years away from matching and breaking the guiness book of records. The pldest twins alive are Lucienne Grare and Raymonde Scurmate from France who are 103 years old and 50 days. These twins have done well to live this long and we wish them many happy returns and many more years to come.
