From Liquid Diet to 80 Kg Deadlift: How This 57-YO Rebuilt Her Body After Cancer
Not too long ago, Javitri Shakya could not even sit up without help. Diagnosed with advanced oral cancer, the 57-year-old underwent treatment that left her body severely weakened . She was put on a liquid diet, lost a ca
Not too long ago, Javitri Shakya could not even sit up without help.
Diagnosed with advanced oral cancer, the 57-year-old underwent treatment that left her body severely weakened. She was put on a liquid diet, lost a calf muscle, and found even the easiest movements exhausting. There was a time when getting through the day itself felt like a challenge, and the thought of returning to an active life looked out of reach.
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But she was determined not to let cancer decide what the rest of her life would look like.
With her son’s constant support, she began focusing on regaining her strength. It was a slow process, built on patience and consistency rather than fast results. Every small step forward gave her the confidence to keep going, even when progress felt painfully gradual.
From recovery to the powerlifting platform
As the months turned into years, what began as rehabilitation slowly became a passion for strength training. Javitri spent hours working on rebuilding the body that cancer had taken so much from. Little by little, she grew stronger, revealing a side of herself she had never known before.
Today, she deadlifts 80 kg, an achievement that is all the more extraordinary considering where she started. The woman who once struggled to sit upright now lifts weights that many would find intimidating.
Behind every milestone was her son, whose encouragement never slowed through the difficult days. With her son cheering her on at every step, she kept pushing herself until the woman who once struggled to sit up was lifting weights in the gym.
At 57, her story is much more than powerlifting. It is about choosing to begin again after life takes an unexpected turn. It is about refusing to be defined by illness and finding purpose in the process of rebuilding.
Today, every lift reflects the years of hard work that brought her here. From surviving advanced oral cancer to deadlifting 80 kg, she has shown that strength is not measured only by what we can lift, but by our willingness to rise each time life knocks us down.
Source: The Better India
