Edith Camp (96), Bernice Cecil (92), Nora McDonald (86) and 84-year-old Rose Ramsey – received their second doses of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine on Tuesday at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill, south of Philadelphia.
As children, they mentioned the Langley sisters, and the four wore buttons with photos of their other sisters – Pauline Taylor, who could not come, and Doris Papiano, who died in 2011.
According to Csey’s daughter, Lori Goldsmid, it was Cecil’s idea to get their shots together.
“It was my aunt Bernice’s idea to get them together, you know, for a little bit of support for each other, because it’s scary,” Goldsmid told CNN.
It did a bit, but Goldsmid was able to arrange for everyone to get their first dose at once.
“I was happy and relieved to get over it and was not nervous at all,” Ramsey told Goldsmid.
They did not have much chance to speak on Tuesday due to all the media attention, but they agreed that the staff were all very kind.
“I can not believe so many people care that four old ladies get their shots,” Camp told her niece.
Before the pandemic, the five sisters saw each other regularly and they would all have lunch at least once a month.
Goldsmid said they are excited to see each other in about 10-14 days once the vaccine has been in their systems long enough to give them the best protection.
“We are already trying to make plans at this stage, whether we are going to do it at someone’s house or we can get a room for lunch at a restaurant,” she said.
They could talk telephonically and on FaceTime, but have not been able to get together or see other members of their extended family since February last year.
“I think the hardest part for some of them was not being able to see their grandchildren at the same time as not being able to see their sisters,” she said. “I think it’s heartbreaking at that age not to be able to see any of your family.”
Goldsmid said the five sisters have more than 100 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-grandchildren among them.