Littleover Community School

BBC Young Reporter @ LCS

The French Nun Who has Been Through It All

By: Sanvi


			The French Nun Who has Been Through It All
Sister André was born in 1904

Only a few weeks before her 117th birthday, on 16th of January, Lucile Randon (more commonly known by her religious name- sister André) tested positive for Coronavirus.

Fortunately, after isolating for a few weeks at the Sainte Catherine Labouré retirement home in Toulon- southern France- she recovered.

David Tavella, the spokesperson for the care home reported that the nun was not concerned about her health. “She didn’t ask me about her health, but about her habits” he told the newspaper “For example, she wanted to know if meal or bedtime schedules would change. She showed no fear of the disease. On the other hand, she was very concerned about the other residents”.

Not all residents shared sister André’s luck: The virus killed 10 of the 88 residents at the retirement home. Sister André’s case of COVID-19 was asymptomatic, and she told the media she "didn't even realize" she had it.

Born on 11th February 1904, Sister André is Europe’s oldest person and has been through the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic and both world wars.

Now recovered, she hopes to celebrate her 117th birthday with a small group of people from her retirement home on Thursday February 11.