Singing, yoghurt and a love of life: A few of 103-year-old Hadassah's favorite things
Hadassah "Dassie" Kobrin is one of Discovery Health Medical Scheme's centenarian (people aged 100 years or older) members. Watch Dassie's life story and also read all about this remarkable woman.
Watch Hadassah's video here:
Dassie is one of 110 centenarian Discovery Health Scheme members (data to May 2025) whose health and wellbeing was reported on in recent investigation by the Health Intelligence team at Discovery Health (the second report of its kind - the first published in late 2023). Read the full report
Hadassah Kobrin, 103, is affectionately known as "Dassie" to her family.
During our video shoot with her, Dassie spontaneously broke into song - 'One day when we were young,' originally sung by Richard Tauber in the 1928 film The Great Waltz. "I do a lot of singing," says Dassie. "I would sing all day if I could."
Her long-time carer, Tshilidzi Munwana, says that Hadassah sings when she's happy, when she's sad and even during the night when she can't sleep.
Dassie grew up in Strand, in the Western Cape.
Until recently, she played card games with other residents in the retirement home where she lives. Now, she spends her time with Tshilidzi and also enjoys watching TV.
"I love my cricket," she says.
Over the years, she has had a full and a partial hip replacement, as well as a pacemaker inserted to help regulate her heartbeat.
She credits her longevity to her healthy lifestyle.
"If you want to live a long life, eat yoghurt," she advises. "And take your vitamin tablets."
Dassie says she was always physically active and, to this day, prefers vegetables over meat. Although she admits, "I am very fond of ice cream!"
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