Miss Unstoppable: The inspiring journey of 87-year-old athlete from Chennai

She has battled cancer and kidney disease and is 87 years old, but these factors have not succeeded in keeping her off the athletic track. Meet the irrepressible Theresa Arokiaswamy

The doctor is asking her to slow down, and she is not listening to him. That is 87-year-old Theresa Arokiaswamy for you: A lady who would have her life defined rather by her dreams than limitations. The positive attitude is working for her.

Last month, she had a haul of two golds at the 43rd National Masters’ Athletic Championship organised by Masters Athletics Federation of India in West Bengal. This performance contributed to her selection for 22nd Asia Masters Athletics Championships, to be held in Philippines.

For her age category she has clocked a record timing in the 400 metres. For someone diagnosed with third stage cervical cancer in 2000 and kidney failure in 2017, Theresa has come a long way.

Following her cancer diagnosis, doctors had a grim forecast for her.

“They said she would not be able to walk; they said there was no hope for her,” says Arulappa Premkumar, one of her three sons.

Theresa underwent treatment at Adyar Cancer Institute “I should not die in bed was amma’s steely resolve,” says Arulappa.

Her life seemed to be touched every day by a magic wand until 2017 when misfortune arrived in battalions.