Yorkshire Evening Post July 22, 2008

Paul Manku is now a happy father of two children but in the past it was not always the case. There was time when he weighted 50 stone and was so ashamed of how he looked that he barely left the house. He even used to buy buggy clothes on the internet.

“I felt awful about being so big. I wouldn’t go out with my children, I avoided social situations and I wouldn’t go to parents evenings. I was ashamed and I didn’t want to embarrass my kids.” Paul said.

He did not even know exactly how much he weighted as many scales could not read his weight.

In the past Paul played a lot of hockey, did kick boxing and went to the gym regularly. Unfortunately, after a car accident in 1993 he had to stop all his activities. As he started eating a lot (even 7.000 calories per day), he put on weight quickly.

Eventually, he booked an appointment with a gastric bypass surgeon and had an operation last September. He lost 16 stone until now but still hopes to lose 14 more. And, as he is saying, this operation has changed his life and now he feels like a “proper family� as he goes out with his children, and took up boxing and swimming again.

“The operation really has changed my life. I’ve still got a lot of weight to lose but I’ve got my confidence back and I’m happy again.” Paul said.