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Pat in the Dudley Chronicle
Dudley Chronicle, published Thursday July 7th (www.expressandstar.com)
Vegan finding the power to defy docs and disease
One Dudley woman is proving you don’t need meat to keep up your strength. Sarah Jackson, meets Pat Reeves a 59-year-old Powerlifter who has battled ill health for years
STANDING less than five feet tall and weighing around
slx-and-a-half stone, Pat Reeves does not fit the Image of the
stereotypical weightlifter.
But Pat, from Kingswlnford, Is a former world champion powerlifter who
can still lift more than double her body weight.
Pat says: “I began powerlifting 16 years ago. It all started after I
took up weightlifting and competed at bodybuilding for a short time.
“I have competed all over the world and done 70 competitions In 15
years. I have not lost a competition yet”
The 59-year-old is currently partway through an amazing attempt to take
records in 10 lifting events she is competing at this year.
In addition to once holding the world title, Pat is European champ and
has retained the British Masters competition for the last ten years. She
recently created a new West Midlands deadlift record.
Pat’s achievements are all the more remarkable considering she has been
living with cancer in one form or the other for the past 16 years. She
said: "I will power lift until I’m in my coffin.”
I‘m only going by what I’m being told, but doctors did tell me I
wouldn’t see 60.
“Well, my birthday Is In November so I’ll see what happens after that!”
Throughout her Illness, Pat claims to have shunned normal cancer drugs.
Instead, she has used numerous alternative therapies coupled with a
vegan diet to try and control it.
"I have never had any conventional treatments for my cancer — they all
affect your immune system. I believe in healing myself from the inside
out. I used to live a ‘normal’ life before. I ate the same rubbish as
every one else and did the same things Now I I'm a raw foods person for
about 90 per cent of my diet, although I do eat cooked tofu
occasionally."
She sprouts much of her food - lentils, nuts, pulses, beans - a process
she says serves the food in Its best state and helps strengthen the
immune system.
During the past, Pat has also competed numerous sporting events. She has
run - and won marathons, competed In triathlon and learned a number of
different dance styles to a high standard.
She even became a swimming coach after enrolling her two sons in
swimming lessons. Pat says: “I thought to myself that I couldn’t really
ask my children to do something I couldn’t do, so while they were having
lessons in one pool, I was having lessons in the other. I just carried
it on after I had learned and became a coach. When I start something
have to carry it on as far as I can."
The superwoman claims to cram so much into her life she only has four
hours sleep per night.
“I do meditation twice a day which boosts my energy levels. I don’t
sleep any longer than four hours because there is so much I want to do
in my life. To me it's a normal life.”
With her positive attitude and philosophy of ‘I love what l do and I do
what I love’. Pat has ever reason to be looking forward to 60 - and
beyond.