Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Hi my name is Darin McCloud at the start of 2011 I weighed 21st and had spent a year fighting my local PCT to allow me funding for bariatric surgery. I needed help with my life and and decided to go to the local paper with my story. My life changed instantly as the story grew out of control and was picked up by the national press,tv and radio and all round the world as well. My local PCT offered no help or advice as in the previous 12 months and said I would not get funding even if I was heavy enough. They have a one size fits all policy which clearly cannot work for everyone.

I had a message from Thinking Slimmer saying they were willing and able to help me, I checked out their website and Diabetes UK was one of their charities, I made the best decision of my life and called them I spoke about my Diabetes and they allayed my fears and I have not looked back since.

I have lost 4 stone in 5 months I have been excerising for 3 months and now training for the Great South Run for just over a month. I am looking at completing the race, not in the time taken. With the help of Thinking Slimmer we are getting a team of about 20 people to take part with me including Dr Albon my Diabetic Doctor and Sandra and Trevor from Thinking Slimmer as well.

I am loving my new lifestyle and wish to not only do it for my own personal pride but also to give something back and show other people like me that there is a way to change their life's, If i can do it any one can it is a shame it took 45 years to find the right pathway.

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