How Bill lost nine stone and raised hundreds for hospital charity

Eighteen months ago, 63-year-old Bill McAllister from Sheffield became breathless when walking up his stairs. He was overweight, had high blood pressure and cholesterol and was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes.

Thanks to the help of his local Slimming World group, Bill, from Sheffield, has been inspired to turn his life around and is using his improved fitness to help others, by fundraising for the Sheffield Children’s charity.

Bill’s daughter Theresa, who works as a Medical Secretary at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, now admits her dad’s health often played on her mind: “I was waiting for the phone call to say he’d had a heart attack, it wasn’t nice carrying that anxiety on your shoulders.”

Bill himself admits that his weight was having a significant impact on his quality of life, explaining: “My blood pressure was dangerously high and being overweight impacted so many aspects of my life, from struggling to find clothes that I liked to fit me, to not being able to do simple everyday tasks without feeling fatigued.

“I was diagnosed with diabetes in February 2019 and I was told I would need medication to manage it. That was the wake-up call I needed to make a change in my life.”

Bill joined his local Slimming World group in Hillsborough, which was instrumental in implementing changes to his diet and eating habits. He has since lost more than nine stone, going from a size 50 waist to a size 32, and reduced the symptoms of his diabetes until he no longer needs medication to ease them.

“I received such a warm welcome from the group and thanks to the changes I’ve made, my health has improved dramatically. I no longer need to take medication with my blood sugar level within the normal range and I’m showing no symptoms. I’ve got my life back and I couldn’t be happier.”

Bill has also become much more active and during lockdown has embraced walking, which is when he saw The Children’s Hospital Charity’s ‘Go The Distance’ Challenge.

After starting as a way to enjoy some fresh air outside, Bill gradually increased his distance as he felt able. He walked the equivalent of four and a half marathons, almost 118 miles, over the course of a week to raise £368 for The Children’s Hospital Charity, which supports Sheffield Children’s.
If you’ve been inspired by Bill’s story, why not sign up for Team Theo’s virtual Glow Run? www.tchc.org.uk/events/glowrun.html