SWNS_EXCESS_SLIMMER_13

Before and after collects of slimmer Gary Bird from Plymouth, Devon, who has raised £15,000 to have excess skin removed. See SWNS story SWFLAB; A man who lost a massive 17 stone in a single year has raised money through online donations to fund a £15,000 operation to remove his excess skin. Bubbly Gary Bird, 28, struggled with his size all his life and had an NHS gastric bypass when he peaked at a hefty 32 stone and doctors warned he could die. He managed to shed more than half his body weight in just a year – but while he looks slim his baggy clothes hide huge unsightly folds of excess skin. Doctors told him he didn’t qualify for the £15,000 skin removal surgery on the NHS because it wasn’t medically necessary, so Gary set up an online funding page. He managed to raise the cash in less than five weeks with the help of £5,000 donations, his savings and a loan and is booked in for the first or two ops next month.