‘I used to think nothing of eating a packet of crumpets’

Cancer survivor, 62, speaks about weight loss

A breast cancer survivor has opened up about her weight loss after invasive treatment led her to pile on the pounds.

Gill Crowther, of Orchard Heights, signed up to Slimming World after being unable to bend down and do up her trainers while studying for a sport-related degree at Canterbury Christ Church University.

At her heaviest, Ms Crowther weighed almost 15 stone and her body mass index (BMI) was classified as obese.

The 62-year-old, who was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, said: “My life changed dramatically when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 52.

“I underwent two operations, firstly a full left breast mastectomy followed by the removal of 25 lymph nodes in my left arm.

“I had 18 weeks of chemotherapy and three weeks of daily doses of radiotherapy.

“Through the support of my husband, friends and colleagues, I pulled through the treatment and 10 years on, consider myself to be a lucky breast cancer survivor.”

During her cancer treatment, Ms Crowther gradually started to put on weight.

She said it was considered to be a positive thing at the time and she was encouraged to eat what she fancied.

“I used to think nothing of devouring whole loaves of wholemeal bread thickly spread with butter and Marmite filled with cucumber, or a packet of toasted crumpets again with lashings of butter”, she said.

“When you are dealing with something like cancer treatment you just live from day to day willing the treatment to be over with and possibly not daring to give much thought to the future.

“Every time I went to the hospital I had to get on the scales, and everyone seemed happy with the results, so I just went along with it.”

In 2011, Ms Crowther retired from her job as a civil servant in London after 33 years of working and decided to try and shift the extra weight she put on during her treatment - but with little success.

While studying sport and exercise science at university and soon approaching her 60th birthday, Ms Crowther decided to join the Elwick Club slimming group in Ashford in 2016.

She has lost since lost more than three-and-a-half stone by following the healthy eating plan and she now regularly commits to exercise.

Gill at her heaviest weight