Leighton Buzzard slimmer who battled cancer launches her own weight loss group

A Leighton Buzzard slimmer who battled cancer has gone the extra mile to help others achieve their weight loss goals - including her husband.

Julie Matthews, 56, took the plunge in 2017 to join Slimming World and lose two stone, after having a torrid eight months of not only her own health troubles but that of her father, who she sadly lost to a brain tumour in March 2017.

She has now become a Slimming World consultant, and can't wait to help Leighton Buzzard residents achieve their dreams.

A Slimming World spokesman said: "In the summer of 2016, with the extra weight Julie was carrying, she had managed to miss a lump forming in her abdomen which, when it was discovered, was the size of an orange.

"The worry of not knowing what it was and the fact that it had gone unnoticed scared her.

"Within a matter of months, she was in Milton Keynes hospital having a full hysterectomy followed by a period of three months recuperating when she was finally able to return to work in the October."

However, just days later, Julie attended her first mammogram check and discovered she had breast cancer.

In December 2016 she was back in Milton Keynes hospital having a single mastectomy followed by intense radiotherapy.

"The good news is that Julie has made a full recovery and cancer free," the spokesman revealed.

In April 2017, the brave slimmer attended her first group meeting in Leighton Buzzard.

Her husband Andrew, 55, realised that he would benefit from losing some weight, too, so they embarked on their weight loss journey together.

The spokesman said: "They both planned, prepared, and cooked every meal, and Julie reached her target weight after just six months and lost one stone 10 pounds, while Andrew lost an incredible three stone."

Julie has continued to go to her Slimming World group every Saturday morning for the last five years, joining the group’s Social Team in 2019.

She helped every week with the weighing of other members and continued to receive lots of good ideas for new ways to Food Optimise.

Julie said: "I couldn’t believe that you could lose weight by eating everything, albeit some things in moderation.

"The plan changed my opinion of cooking meals from scratch and not buying ready made products.

"Our group amazes me every week with members sharing new ideas. The support and inspiration is truly wonderful."

During the last three years, Julie has watched the transformation of "so many members" with one in particular standing out.

Malcolm Davies, 62, needed to lose up to 12 stone - his life depended on it - with Julie becoming his driving force for change.

"Julie has been there every stop of the way with untiring support for my journey,” said Malcolm.

"Every stone lost, every reward to show for it, Julie was there encouraging me along. I reached my first target in June and am carrying on losing more until I reach a healthy weight for myself."

Julie has recently completed her first set of training days at Slimming World’s national training academy in Derbyshire and has relaunched the Saturday morning group at Clipstone Brook Lower School.

Join Julie at group every Saturday morning at 8.30am.

For more information, please call Julie on: 07779 577326.