A mum has revealed that she shed 17 stone after seeing "inspiring" Facebook posts.
Laura Cain from Southport has been honoured in the top three 'greatest losers' in the country after shedding more than half of her weight. The 34-year-old came third in the annual Slimming World awards before claiming she "wouldn't be here right now" if it wasn't for the drastic weight loss.
Laura, who the ECHO reported on earlier this year, piled on the pounds after a number of traumatic events and health scares plagued her day-to-day life. Laura was placed on life support when she suffered from Swine Flu as well as contracting meningitis and battling brittle asthma and fibromyalgia.
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Her gruelling health battles and growing weight left her so poorly that she was unable to take her son, Domanic, to school, as she struggled to leave her house.
Laura developed swine flu 11 years ago and was placed on a life support machine in a desperate bid to survive. She was so ill afterwards, she had to learn how to walk again. Three years later, in 2012, Laura contracted meningitis after giving birth to Domanic.
While fighting back from those traumatic episodes, Laura also had to contend with living with brittle asthma, diagnosed in 2008, and fibromyalgia, and also developed a huge hernia. Laura said: "I have been overweight since high school. Then in 2008 I was diagnosed with brittle asthma and have been on steroids ever since, which has affected my weight."
Laura has since turned her life around in dramatic fashion after her son motivated her to sign up for Slimming World. She joined Slimming World Southport with Dee, led by Dee Wright, and has been spurred on by her constant support and the fellow ‘geese’ (members) in her group.
She said the changes have allowed her to become “the mum I’ve always wanted to be.” After reaching her target weight earlier this year, Laura came third in the competition for this year’s greatest Slimming World loser, with the top three contestants losing over 55 stone in weight between them.
The results for Laura and her son Dom have been enormous. She said: “I have gone from not being able to walk Dom to school to doing things with him like going into Liverpool to enjoy a day out and doing other fun things.
“I have started volunteering at a baby group, at Dom’s school and at a toddler group. I love it, meeting new people, and building my confidence.”
In December, Laura was voted as the group’s 2021 ‘Miss Slinky’ by members of her Slimming World group in Southport. She wants to share the story of her incredible journey to inspire other people to take that first step toward losing weight.
Laura said: “My life has changed so much mentally and physically but most of all I can now be the mum I’ve always wanted to be to my son, Dom. I can take him to fun places, and I can walk with him to his school, at Marshside Primary in Southport.
“My health still isn't 100%. I still suffer with brittle asthma and fibromyalgia but at least I am not a ticking time bomb at 30 stone. Dom is amazing. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him.
“He is the reason why I never gave up. I shared a face to face picture on Facebook recently, comparing an old picture with a new one. Even though I was smiling on the old one, it wasn't a real smile because behind it I was hurting, embarrassed and in pain. I felt stuck.
“I'm so happy and proud now it's so overwhelming, especially when people stop me in town. I can't believe I have lost over 17 stone.”
