MEET Doris Shield, a 102-year-old who has survived coronavirus and is now recovering at a Haydock care home. 

Doris, a resident at Colliers Croft, was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier in the pandemic but remarkably, given her age, she has come out to see the other side. 

Kishan Patel, the business development manager at Highpointcare LTD which runs Colliers Croft Care Home, said: “Colliers has had a torrid time with COVID-19.

"This being said Kerry Baddley, the home manager, and her team did a terrific job in completely expelling COVID-19 from the home within five weeks of their first diagnosis.

St Helens Star:

Doris is doing very well after overcoming the virus

“Doris Shield showed unbelievable strength and fight, which coupled with Kerry and her team’s exceptional care, meant that she was the oldest resident at Colliers to overcome the virus.”

Doris was born on the February 25, 1919 the youngest of six children of Edith and James Leather a local builder.

Her childhood home was in Bleak Hill Road, Eccleston and in her youth she became an apprentice hairdresser at Cowley’s Hair salon in Duke Street.

St Helens Star:

Raising a glass: Doris at the home in Haydock

At the outbreak of the Second World War she met Leslie Shield who was training as a solicitor just before call up. 

They married in 1939 and and remained together until Leslie died in 2001.

During a rare home leave in 1943 Doris became pregnant and John her only son was born in 1944.

They moved to Rainford in the 1970s, where Doris remained until moving to the retirement care home in 2015.

Kishan added: “She's now healthier and happier than ever." 

“Positive COVID-19 stories have been few and far between over the past few months, with everybody’s mental welfare being a topic of trouble lately, we feel Doris’ story would lift spirits and encourage solidarity and unity amongst the St Helens community.”

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