I lost 19st... and found out I had leukaemia

GRIEVING over her mother’s suicide, Sarezah Lake took to comfort eating, reaching a life-threatening 32 stone. At 5ft 5in tall, she wore size 34 clothes and weighed the same as the late wrestler Giant Haystacks in his prime, and he was nearly 7ft.

- By Lucy Laing

Spurred on by her GP's brutal honesty about her health, the mum-of-three decided diet and exercise were the only way to shed the pounds and keep them off for good.

After losing an incredible 19st, Sarezah was referred for skin removal surgery but in February 2021, she was completely blindsided by the news she had advanced acute myeloid leukaemia.

Sarezah, 56, tells the Mirror: "I was in total shock. I hadn't had any bruising, or any of the other obvious symptoms. I was tired, but I was running around after three children, so I thought that was normal.

"It was so advanced that the doctors didn't know how I wasn't in hospital fighting off infections.

"I had to start treatment straight away. After the weight loss and surgery I'd looked like J.Lo for a couple of weeks. But now I was facing the battle of my life. I felt angry, but in a way, I felt incredibly lucky. If it had gone on any longer then I may not have survived.

"Losing 19st meant my cancer had been discovered and had saved my life."