I've raised £2000 to Help fund a lightweight weight wheelchair to exercise in...

Organised by Zoe Metcalfe
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Barnsley, United Kingdom ·Disability support

Story

Hi my name is Zoe and I was born with an hip problems that caused my hip to collapsed when I was 24. I have had two full complex hip replacement and I am waiting for a knee replacement. I suffer from osteoarthritis in the majority of my joints and recently I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Due to pain I have limited mobility and I use two elbow crutches and wheelchair. After ballooning to a staggering 145.5 kilos (22 stone 12lb or 320lb) I was told I was morbidly obese with a BMI of 59 and I was at risking major illness including obese related cancers, heart attack and type 2 diabetes among other obese related illness. My G.P and orthopaedic surgeon insisted I had Bariatric Surgery. But after doing research and speaking to individual that had already had surgery I decided this was not the way forward for me. I went against the G.P and surgeon and refused surgery. In the past, when I have tried to address the issue of my spiralling weight gain I have joined a traditional weight losing class and attended exercise classes but these have always failed gaining extra weight. Due to my disability I have found exercising with peers distressing. I am often patronised and often left feeling I shouldn't be there. After these negative experience and against my better judgement my sister dragged me to a Zumba session (in my wheelchair) kicking and screaming. For the first time in my life I was welcomed with open arms, I was made to feel "normal" and the people at the class saw me and not just my wheelchair. With the support from my amazing family and friends and Barnsley P.S.S I have lost 46.6 kilos (7 stone 4lb or 103lb). This weight loss as taken a lot of hard work but it's given me the confidence to find more exercise classes. My current wheelchair is a bariatric chair which is now too wide, very heavy and cumbersome to manoeuvre. The chair now offers no support. With your help I would like to replace my wheelchair for a light weight wheelchair. That will allow me to exercise safely and with the support I need. The chair I would like is ridged lightweight wheelchair.

About fundraiser

Zoe Metcalfe
Organiser

Donation summary

Total
£130.00