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40-year-old mother of two defies disease and becomes NFL cheerleader

Posted at 2:46 PM, Jul 18, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-18 14:46:42-04

When longtime dance instructor Kriste Lewis turned 40 she decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and tried out to become a cheerleader for the New Orleans Saints.

She beat the odds and will make her debut with the squad in September.

The mother of two boys, ages 14 and 11 was fighting not just her age but also a health issue.

“Fourteen years ago I was diagnosed with polysistic kidney disease,” she said. “Eventually my kidneys will shut down [and] I will be in need of dialysis and in need of a transplant.”

Lewis is now one of only two NFL cheerleaders in their 40s, according to the team.

Read more about Lewis at our sister station WGNO.com