A VALLEYS woman who was told she would die if she did not lose weight has shed more than six stones in a year, and wants to lose four more.

Eight years ago Pat Welsh, 53, went for tests for a genetic condition called haemochromatosis (HHC), which causes the body to retain too much iron. Her father died aged 52 in 1979, from cirrhosis of the liver brought on by the disease.

Mrs Welsh and her sister, Teresa Radford, were confirmed as carriers, meaning they must undergo blood tests every six months.

Mrs Welsh's tests revealed high blood pressure and type two diabetes. Last February while she was having her tests done, a nurse at St Woolos Hospital in Newport told Mrs Welsh, who lives in Oakdale, she needed to lose weight urgently.

"If I hadn't started something drastic, I'd be six feet under," said Mrs Welsh, who is five feet three inches tall, and at her peak weighed 22 stones and was a size 30.

After joining Slimming World a year ago and taking up power-walking, she has lost 6st 2lbs, but not one to rest on her laurels, she has set herself a target of losing another four stones.

Seeing a picture of herself at her daughter Kerry-Ann Vaughan's wedding in Cyprus in 2004 started her on the road to losing weight, but the task only began in earnest after last year's hospital visit.

"That was the wake up call I needed. It's a struggle losing weight with the medication I'm on, but I'm determined - I'm not going back to the way I was," she said.

Before she started on a healthy diet, Mrs Welsh said she and husband Roy could get through a pound of butter a week. With vital statistics of 60, 60, 60, she described herself as "an egg on legs."

Shedding weight has made a big difference, giving her more energy to enjoy activities like dancing, which was impossible previously.

"It has saved my life, I could be dead by now. I'm so glad I chose to do something about it," said Mrs Welsh.

Disease causes iron build-up

THE disease causes people to absorb extra iron from their diet, which the body cannot then rid itself of.

This excess iron builds up in major organs such as the heart, liver and pancreas, and left untreated causes the organs to be come diseased and can be fatal. HHC increases the risk of contracting diabetes, arthritis, cirrhosis and heart attacks.

Initial treatment involves several blood transfusions a month to remove excess iron, followed by a maintenance regime of transfusions, allied to a diet modified to minimise iron intake.

Big changes in diet

Before:

Breakfast (if she ate it) - Bacon, eggs, beans, fried bread

Mid-morning - Pasty or crisps

Lunch - "Anything" with chips

Tea - Takeaway

Snacks - Crisps

After:

Breakfast - Weetabix with sliced banana

Mid-morning - Fruit and yoghurt

Lunch - Ham salad

Tea - Lean meat, potatoes and vegetables

Snacks - Fruit