A couple of broken ribs and a wonky elevator have forced Mary Foote to give up some of her independence.

For a little while at least.

Mary, who will celebrate her 102nd birthday Wednesday, Oct. 25, normally lives on her own in 91原创 City but was forced to move into her daughter Edith鈥檚 and son-in-law Clarence鈥檚 house in Brookwood as she recovers from minor injuries suffered after falling out of bed at the family cabin at Murphy Lake in the Lac La Hache region of the Cariboo.

But Mary鈥檚 still getting around the house, using her walker for support.

The elevator in her apartment building is out of commission for a short time, and Mary isn鈥檛 quite able to climb the stairs to get to her condo.

But once she鈥檚 all healed up and healthy enough to return home, Mary is eager to be on her own again.

鈥淚n our building we have dominoes and crib and a coffee party every Thursday morning,鈥� Mary shared.

鈥淪he does have some home support come in for meds,鈥� Edith added.

Aside from her sore ribs, Mary said she feels, 鈥渞eally great for an old lady.鈥�

Mary is an active senior. At the ages of 99, 100, and 101 she was the .

At this year鈥檚 walk supporting Crohn鈥檚 & Colitis Canada, Mary was a member of Team TP, which raised roughly $1,500, while the chapter generated roughly $80,000 in donations.

Mary鈥檚 36-year-old granddaughter Krista Olson suffers from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers (sores) in a person鈥檚 digestive tract.

鈥淚 want her to be cured of this disease,鈥� Foote said in the lead-up to the June 4 walk. 鈥淚f I can help in any way, that鈥檚 important.鈥�

Mary did her own abbreviated version of the walk, about 20 minutes in the park, and around the nature house.

鈥淢ind you, I didn鈥檛 do the whole walk, but I did the best I could,鈥� she said.

Mary is one tough cookie. Her family believes that this centenarian and breast cancer survivor, who walks 15 to 20 minutes every day, is the oldest person in Canada to have undergone a mastectomy.

As well, her family has a history of longevity. 鈥淗er mom lived to be 94, (and) her sister lived to be 99,鈥� Edith said.

Mary鈥檚 secret ingredient for healthy living is a breakfast staple for many.

鈥淧orridge for breakfast every morning,鈥� she said.

Edith, who calls Mary the 鈥渃entre of our family,鈥� says she feels 鈥渂lessed鈥� to have such an active and vibrant mom.

Colourful history

Mary was born 1915 at Moore鈥檚 Meadow, Fort George (now Prince George) to Welsh parents Charles and Mabel Hughes. She had two siblings, older brother William 鈥淏ill鈥� Hughes and younger sister Elizabeth (Hughes) Comfort.

The family moved from the Fort George area to the Mud River Valley and lived there from 1919 to 鈥�29, until Bill and Mary were able to go to high school in Prince George.

In 1934 the family moved to the Wells/Barkerville area, where Mary helped run the family鈥檚 general store.

C.H. Hughes & Son provided supplies to the miners of Barkerville. Mary still has the gold scales she used, accepting gold dust and nuggets as payment.

It was in Barkerville where Mary met and married William (Bill) Davies.

When the Cariboo Gold Quartz and Island Mountain mines became depleted and miners left the area, Mary and Bill moved to Aldergrove.

There they farmed until Bill鈥檚 passing on Nov. 26, 1966.

鈥淪he worked as hard as my dad on our farm in Aldergrove,鈥� Edith said. 鈥淚t was a small dairy and egg operation.鈥�

Mary looks back on the days in Aldergrove with fondness.

鈥淲e were all together and it was a happy time in our lives,鈥� Mary said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when Edie was born, which enriched our lives tremendously.鈥�

In those years, Mary was very involved with the Aldergrove United Church, Royal Purple, and Edith鈥檚 school life and activities.

In 1967, Mary sold the farm and moved to White Rock to care for her mother.

In 1972, she married Darrel Foote and the couple retired to Qualicum.

Then, in 1995, Mary returned to 91原创 to be close to her daughter, two grandchildren Krista and Mike, and great-grandchildren (Mike鈥檚 children Mattias and Amy).

鈥淕igi 鈥� she鈥檚 known as Gigi by her great-grandchildren 鈥� she鈥檚 very happy to be part of their lives,鈥� Edith said.

In the twilight of her life, Mary鈥檚 motto is, 鈥渋t鈥檚 not the age, it鈥檚 the attitude.鈥�

鈥淟ive every day as it comes along, and make the best of it,鈥� said Mary, who plans on doing the Gutsy Walk once again in June 2018.