MAYWOOD, Ill., July 27 (UPI) -- An Illinois woman who survived one of the most complicated operations in surgery when she was 89 says she will celebrate her 100th birthday Saturday.
Mary Cipolla survived the procedure, called the Whipple surgery, involving the removal of four organs and reconstruction of the digestive tract, a Loyola University Medical Center release said Tuesday.
The procedure is used to treat pancreatic, upper intestinal and bile duct cancers, the release said.
"Mary has a very positive mind, and that has led to her long-term survival," said her surgeon, Dr. Gerard Aranha.
Cipolla lives independently with her 83-year-old sister in Roselle, Ill. She drove until she was 95 and still helps with the cooking, cleaning and shopping, her family says.
"I feel fine," she said. "I don't let the years bother me."
