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Everyone wanted to know the life secret of Mississauga’s Sant Kaur Girn as she celebrated her 104th birthday today. At the age of 104, she has got three sons, nine grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. Today India Rainbow Community Services of Peel, where Girn is a member of Adult Day Program, […]

Everyone wanted to know the life secret of Mississauga’s Sant Kaur Girn as she celebrated her 104th birthday today.

At the age of 104, she has got three sons, nine grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.

Today India Rainbow Community Services of Peel, where Girn is a member of Adult Day Program, hosted a special ceremony to celebrate her 104th birthday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper also sends a certificate of recognition to wish her many happy returns.

“I want to know her secret though …,” joked Gurpreet S. Malhotra, executive director of India Rainbow, who presented the certificate from the prime minster.

On the occasion, Girn also cut the birthday cake in presence of family members, seniors and community workers.

Born on April 15, 1910 in Guru Ka Chak, a village in the province of Punjab in India, Girn had three older sisters and a brother. All of them lived to past the century mark.

“(Girn’s sister) just passed away last year at the age of 110 in India,” said Harjit S. Girn, 67, Girn’s youngest son. “They are all same … none of them was less than 100 years. My grandmother was 112 and my grandpa was 110 years of age.”

Harjit said his mom is a pure vegetarian and never ate meat, eggs or consumed alcohol.

“My father was an army officer. So most of the time my mom spent in the fields working hard to raise me and my brothers,” said Harjit.

Girn migrated to Canada in 1980 to join Harjit, her youngest son, after the death of her husband. Her other two sons live in England.

After being diagnosed with dementia in 2012, she joined India Rainbow’s Adult Day Program.

“She is over 100, but still actively participates in various activities … and sometimes she also dances and sings old Indian songs,” said Sandeep Lachhar, program lead at India Rainbow. “In my knowledge she has been the oldest person at India Rainbow.”

At three different locations in the Peel region, India Rainbow provides comprehensive preventative and rehabilitation services to South Asians who have cognitive impairment, chronic disability or illness such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, arthritis, diabetes, stroke and muscular dystrophy.

Source: www.mississauga.com