The picture was taken during 1999.
This is not a 'Poor Me' page; If you would like to find out more about the complaint known generically as 'ME/CFS', please take this link to the relocated web page of the South Australian Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society. It will open in a new window so that you don't lose your place here.
Pat was diagnosed in 1988, shortly after remarrying. It is thought that she has probably suffered from the complaint for at least twenty years before the diagnosis. ME/CFS is a multi-faceted condition with at least sixty-six different symptoms, and in almost all cases there is continual pain and gross fatigue. There is no known cure because no researchers anywhere in the world have discovered its cause. Many things will trigger it, and seldom is there any recovery for adult sufferers. Occasionally there is some remission.
Notwithstanding all that, Pat has raised (most of the time single-handedly) five children - the oldest of whom are now in their forties.
The local newspaper (The 'Messenger') published this article in the issue dated Thursday 3rd February 2000, and featured this colour photo on the front page.
Well done, Pat. We all salute you :)
Pat suffers from the debilitating condition known as 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome', 'Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome', or if you are from the United Kingdon, 'Myalgic Encephalomyletis'.
This page is to honour a lady who has been selected to represent her country by carrying the Olympic Torch as part of the 'around Australia' relay carrying the Olympic Flame en route to the Games which will be held at Sydney in October. Pat was selected at random by one of the sponsors of the games, and on Friday 14th July she lit her torch from that of the runner before, ran with it four hundred metres, and then lit the torch of the next relay runner.
