Pat's autobiography has a description of her difficult birth that has been written by her mother.
Pat describes growing up in Colenso with her older brother and then going off to boarding school for eight years.
She describes trying out all sorts of equipment to help her walk and her wonderful teachers at school who took their break time to help with her work.
Pat describes the difficulty she had trying to type and write in spite of which she was able to get her Matric, two Degrees and a National Diploma.
Pat describes going off to work in the open market and the difficulties she encountered such as the physical accessibility and communicating with her bosses and colleagues.

She worked a 40 hour week but had to take work home as it took her longer to complete projects.
Pat found it very stimulating to overcome the many problems she encountered in her work.

Pat's autobiography is a very open and honest account of the challenges that she has encountered and overcome in her life, and would be of interest to parent's of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, as well as people who are working with disabled children and adults.
Her title also includes contributions from both her brother's, her previous employer and her first riding instructor.

From the moment she entered this world life has never been easy for pat. Being born with cerebral palsy has meant that neither her limbs nor her tongue will do what she wants them to do. Nevertheless she has faced every challenge that came her way and participated in life with an enthusiasm that has left most able-bodied people awestruck. - Riding instructor, Sally Carter of South African Riding for the Disabled

Pat is a remarkable woman, a wonderful example to all who meet her. It was a priviledge to grow up in her close company and to have that example every day. - Pat's brother, David Frow

Pat's disability has been compensated for by her remarkable attitude and personality. I have never heard her lament her condition or display frustration over what really is a severe handicap. Not that she has acquiesced either, though, for hers is not an acquiescent nature. Her close walk with God always left open the possibility of being healed, but when it did not happen she simply concluded that God had other plans for her. Her response has never been to simply make the best of a situation but to proactively manage and exploit it. She is a realist, well able to guage whether or not something can be attempted with success but she will often attempt what wiser heads would shake at. She addresses and presses through. Often with a minimum of finesse and subtlety she has simply worked away - or battered away - until an obstacle has yielded and fallen before her (at times leaving a few ruffled feathers in her wake). - Pat's brother, Peter Frow

I ahve often thought that her attitudes to life come out in the type of chess game she plays; fully immersed in it, adventurous, expecting no special favours, sometimes slack on the defence in  of attack, enjoying her wins and handling her losses graciously. Supported by her faith she has embodied a personal philosophy which I can only describe as "Work for more ... Hope for better ... happy for now." - Fomer employer, friend and chess partner, Coenie Grundlingh

(Author Photo: Pat Frow at Quaggafontein Stables outside Bloemfontein where she was awarded a bronze medal for third place in one test in the SA Championships in April 2006)

My Testimony

My testimony today is one of thanks to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
I thank him for knowing me before I was born and for having a plan for my life even then. Psalm 139, verses 13-16. "For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.... My frame was not hidden from you. ,.. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be".
I was perfect when I was in my mother's womb but I was the wrong way around so during my birth the doctor used instruments to turn me around and these instruments damaged part of my brain which caused my physical disability. But I have always thanked God and still thank Him that the part of my brain which controls my intelligence was not damaged at all. This was important in our family because they are all very intelligent and I have been able to compete with them on an academic level gaining 2 degrees and a national diploma in computer programming.
I thank God for good parents who gave me and my two brothers a very stable home because they loved each other so deeply. Last year they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. My parents encouraged me to do as much for myself as I could, and to be as independent as possible.
I went to boarding school from the age of 4 and a half years until 13 years. Those were difficult years, trying, amongst other things, to learn speak better and trying to walk. My speach is one hundred percent better than it was then and over the years I have learnt to do many things for myself. Everything that I had to learn to do I regarded as a challenge to be conquered, and the Lord has been with me throughout all my challenges. Lots of things that you do without thinking I find difficult, like getting in and out of bed by myself, going to the loo by myself. In such situations I ask the Lord to help me and He does. So I am aware of the Lord's presence during a lot of my day. For this I want to thank Him.
While I was at boarding school I had a lovely Sunday School teacher who told me about Jesus Christ and from that time I started praying to Him. I want to thank God for that teacher.
After I left boarding school at the age of 13 and a half years I went home and I went to a local school for disabled children for two years. My biggest challenge then was getting on with my mother. The problem was that we had been apart for so long and when I went home for good we not only had to learn to get on together but Mom also had to do a lot for me. This made the situation worse. But God brought a lovely lady into my life, Mrs Munro, who started taking me to her home every week for supper. It was through her witnessing that I made a proper commitment to the Lord. From that time on my relationship with Mom improved, and God put meaning into my life as a disabled person. I realized that God's main purpose for my life was and still is to encourage others. This I have been able to do many times. I thank God for this.
After over 11 years of study I got a job in the open market as a computer programmer which brought me to Cape Town. I worked in this job for ten years and have just retired. I have been able to buy my own flat and give Mirriam and two of her children a home. I thank God for this. Most people who are disabled like me are sitting in their parents' homes or in institutions. I thank God especially for Mirriam who has helped me faithfully 1989. She has put up with my good moods and my bad moods. I thank her too for sharing her children with me. I thank God for bringing these children into my life because He knew that I couldn't have my own. I thank God for many more things like being able to ride a horse for 25 years, going overseas nine times, music, and many wonderful friends here, in Durban, and in other parts of the world.
In conclusion I want to say that my life as a disabled person has been very worthwhile because I "know that in all things God works for the good to those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Pat Frow.
10/11/2002.
Claremont Baptist Church