Not the end, but the beginning
As this year’s Operation Transformation comes to an end, two of the leaders, Darragh Fitzgerald and Anne Cushen, tell Claire O’mahony about the changes the show has helped them make in their lives, and the lives of their families
This week sees the culmination of the 17th season of Operation Transformation, wrapping up eight weeks of sweat, tears and hard work for those – both on and off-screen – on a path to improved health and fitness. The five leaders – Noel O’connell, Michelle Rogan, Darragh Fitzgerald, Anne Cushen and Edel O’malley – have become familiar with audiences, not just because of their obvious commitment to self-improvement, but because it has been, as ever, an emotional journey for all of them as well.
Darragh Fitzgerald
“It’s just been a whirlwind,” says Darragh Fitzgerald of the last two months. “It’s flown by, but I am feeling good, feeling great.” The 37-year-old exrugby player from Limerick, who now coaches underage and adult teams for St Mary’s, has enjoyed some impressive results to date. As a teenager, Darragh was diagnosed with a form of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma, and had to have a tumour removed from his bowel. Two years ago, the father of two, who is engaged to Yvonne, was hospitalised with an abnormal heart rhythm and subsequently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and put on medication. “The weight was always creeping up after that,” he says. “Then I just got kind of stuck in a rut because I finished rugby last year.” He was at home, scrolling through social media, when he saw a post asking for applications to become a leader on OT. “I just said to myself, Jesus, why not? And it’s probably the best decision I’ve made in a long time.”
He recalls his second health check on the show, when he discovered that he had lost 12lb. “I got emotional at that and it wasn’t because of the 12lb; it was because it reinforced what the experts had been telling me was the right thing to do and also that I had made the right decision bringing the family into this,” he says. “I had a lot of reservations prior to the show, and Yvonne was the same. We are putting our life on TV, especially with the kids, but it’s all been worthwhile so far.”
When he signed up for OT, he was focused on losing weight, but now says that aspect is bottom of his priority list. “I’m a lot more confident; I’m a lot happier myself,” he says. “The family is a lot happier and I think I now have a direction. I’d kind of gone through the motions prior to the show but now the kids are happy. I’m engaging with them more, I’m home more, and when I am home, it’s good, quality time.” Darragh, Yvonne and their children Rian (8) and Roisin (3) are now eating together as a family, something that wasn’t a regular occurrence before. In the show, fiancée Yvonne expressed her concern that Darragh would have no problems sticking to the plan while filming was ongoing, but might struggle when there wasn’t that same structure to motivate him after the cameras left. “She’s dead right,” says Darragh, “I remember at the very start of the process, she said to me off camera that she knew I’d have absolutely no issue with the eight weeks, regardless of the food plan or the exercise. Her biggest concern has been once it finishes, what’s next? I’m very goal-driven, and us leaders, we’ve signed up for the 10K Great Limerick Run in May. I had a good chat with Dr Eddie [Murphy, Operation Transformation’s resident psychologist] when he was in the house last week chatting to myself and Yvonne about the aftercare process from all the experts that runs into August. We’ll be well looked after if we run into any issues.”
Mostly, though, Darragh is looking forward to what’s coming next. “I think the eight weeks is probably just a kick-start and my own personal journey starts after that. That’s my goal, to get cracking and just see where that takes me.”
Anne Cushen
Weight loss was not the motivation for leader Anne Cushen to sign up for Operation Transformation; she wanted to improve her mobility. The 55-year-old from Kiltealy, Co Wexford, has osteoarthritis and has had two hip replacements. The improvement in her mobility over the last two months has been remarkable, and Anne is not only regularly walking, but she’s been able to return to her her beloved social dancing.
How does she feel about the show, as it ends? “There’s a little bit of sadness because you make bonds over the eight weeks. You meet a lot of people and everyone is so good and so kind. Because things went so well for me, I’m absolutely over the moon and I feel like I’m a new woman,
We are putting our life on TV, especially with the kids, but it’s all been worthwhile so far - DARRAGH FITZGERALD
alive again and not trapped in my body,” she says. “But I’m looking forward to after the show, in the sense of implementing everything that I’ve picked up, because I know, going forward, I’m going to improve even more. It’s like a good book – when you’re reading a great chapter and moving from that to the next chapter, you’re sad to leave that behind in one way, but you’re dying to find out what’s ahead of you. There’s so much life and fun in the future.”
Viewers have seen Anne embracing her exercise programme enthusiastically. Although she says she would never have been one to put herself in the limelight, she’s delighted with the reaction she’s getting when she meets people out and about. “When people are looking at the show, they’re getting an education themselves. They’re telling me, ‘I wouldn’t have bothered walking before, but I’m doing a bit of walking now’,” she says. “I’ve even had people saying to me, ‘My elderly parent is in a chair looking at you, and they’re starting to do a little bit’. That absolutely thrills me to think that somebody else is receiving something from the show as well.” She has had the unwavering support of her husband Thomas and son Sean (her daughter Breda has just moved to Australia but is in constant contact)) and the family has embraced what Anne is calling ‘the new style of cooking’, including more herbs and beans.
“It’s fantastic. I could have been doing these for years, only we were quite happy with what we were doing and it was the traditional way of cooking; you had your meat and veg and potatoes. I don’t miss that and I don’t want to go back to it because I’m feeling so good. I’m thriving on it.” Describing her OT experience as a marvellous journey, she says: “I feel very honoured and I’m very grateful that I got it. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought I’d have made it to the end.”
Anne has no fears about going forward, and sticking to a healthy path. “This is with me for life. It’s my foundation now. It’s like a house – if you have a shaky foundation, you’re in trouble, but if you have a good foundation in the beginning, the rest will come.”
I’ve even had people saying to me, ‘My elderly parent is in a chair looking at you, and they’re starting to do a little bit’. That absolutely thrills me - ANNE CUSHEN