Tatts the way Doris

AFTER more than a century of life, Doris Thackery has just got her first tattoo — a pink ribbon etched into her right shoulder to raise awareness of the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life fundraiser.

The 101-year-old will also shave her head on Monday for the second time in three years.

“I hope we will get as much money as we can ... to help people with cancer,” said Ms Thackery, whose tattoo was drawn by artist Todd Crocker.

AFTER a century of living, Doris Thackery yesterday got her first tattoo — and the meaning behind it is as wholesome as her.

With a pink ribbon now etched into her shoulder, the 101-year-old said she is determined to do something about cancer, having faced the cruelty of the disease more than once.

“First of all my mother died of bowel cancer, then my daughter had it on her face,” Mrs Thackery said.

“She’s okay now, but I’ve got another daughter who at this moment is actually dying. And she’s in Port Macquarie so it’s a bit difficult for me to get there. She’s just a vegetable now, and we’ve been warned it could happen any day.”

When asked if she was nervous about getting the tattoo she said: “not a bit.”

She decided to shave her head for the Relay for Life on Monday for the second time in three years, and said the idea for a tattoo came shortly after.

“Out of the blue I said I’d have a tattoo as well, which everybody thought was a good idea,” she said. “I hope we will get as much money as we can for the Cancer Council, to help people with cancer, because it’s a very bad thing to get.”

Her tattoo artist Todd Crocker said it was “pretty bloody cool” tattooing a 101year-old. His previous oldest client was 83.

“I thought she was a real character and she really had her wits about her, it was really good to see,” Mr Crocker said.

Knowing her story and the reasons behind her tattoo, he said he “definitely felt it on the inside, that’s for sure”.

A resident at Uniting AgeWell Mornington Community, Lillian Martin, Ms Thackery said she was beyond grateful for all the support she’d been given in the past couple of years.

“It’s the best thing to happen to me, especially in the home, they’ve been wonderful,” she said.