A mum who tipped the scales at more than 21st has been inspired to slim by a two-year-old boy’s cancer battle.
Amanda Mansell, 34, of Lepton, went to school with the mum of two-year-old Oliver Field.
When she heard of brave Oliver’s fight against a brain tumour she decided to lose weight and help raise money for Oliver’s treatment.
Married Amanda, who has a four-year-old son Jack, weighed in at 21st 7lbs when she started her sponsored slim on February 1.
She aims to continue her meal replacement diet and fitness drive until April 30, hoping to shed at least 3st.
Then she plans an eight-mile sponsored walk from Denby Dale to Lepton calling at 11 pubs along the way to collect money.
Amanda said: “I have always struggled with my weight but my struggle is nothing compared to what Oliver and his family are going through.
“I have always been overweight and when I’ve tried diets before I’ve always put twice as much weight back on afterwards.
“The doctors told me I would need a knee replacement by the time I was 40 if I didn’t lose weight. Even that didn’t trigger me to start slimming.”
Amanda, a receptionist at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, now works out at a Waterloo gym at least four times a week.
“At first I was so unfit it was unbelievable,” she said. “After a minute on one of the machines I was exhausted. Now I can do 15 minutes.
“I have a car and would even drive to the local shop. I was a terrible role model for my son. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Amanda was finally shaken out of her lethargy by Oliver’s plight.
Amanda went to the same Rawthorpe school as Oliver’s mum Laura and was touched by his story.
Oliver, of Dalton, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at just eight months old. After extensive treatment over a year he was given the all-clear.
But the tumour returned last Christmas and Oliver started chemotherapy. However, he may need specialist treatment abroad and a £250,000 fundraising campaign has been launched.
Oliver’s five-year-old brother Sam is currently recovering from meningitis.
“Oliver is an inspiration and trying to save Oliver’s life might have helped save my own,” said Amanda. “I won’t cheat on this diet because of that little boy.”
Amanda lost a stone in the first month but has stopped weighing herself in case any setback hits her motivation.
Her sponsored walk will take place on Saturday, May 4, starting at the White Hart in Denby Dale.
She will be joined by her brother Stewart Isherwood, 40, of Fenay Bridge, who will carry a 3st rucksack to symbolise Amanda’s weight loss.
“Embarrassingly I couldn’t even lift the rucksack even though I had to carry that weight around,” said Amanda.
“It’s no wonder my knees were shot!”
Amanda hopes to raise £1,000 and anyone who wants to donate can go to www.justgiving.com/Amanda-Mansell.
