Thabani is a retired nurse. Originally from South Africa, she moved to the UK with her daughter and worked in the NHS for a number of years. Thabani first came to Independent Age in 2022 when her income was no longer enough to live on. She feared she would lose her home before Independent Age advisers were able to identify £800 per month in unclaimed support for Thabani. Since then, Thabani has been a powerful voice for the charity and for older people on a low income. She has taken part in numerous media appearances, spoken at events and in September 2024 she took on a fundraising skydive to raise money for the charity.