A mum refused surgery to reduce her crippling 38KK boobs yesterday welcomed Jeremy Hunt’s call to end cosmetic procedures on the NHS.
Kim Mills, 32, suffers from arthritis of the spine because of her enormous breasts and is unable to perform simple everyday tasks.
She lost four stone in a bid to shrink her boobs but the diet failed to shift a single ounce off her chest.
Despite her efforts and health problems, her local NHS trust has refused her breast reduction surgery and she cannot afford the £7,000 to go private.
She is furious that she has been turned down while the NHS continues to fund ‘vanity’ surgery such as breast enlargements, tummy tucks and nose jobs.
But yesterday she welcomed comments by the Health Secretary that such procedures should be judged on clinical need alone.
Kim, a resource planning analyst, said: “People may think it’s not a serious health issue but they don’t have to live with it.
“My breasts are so heavy and I’m only 5ft 8in. It affects everything from cleaning to struggling to brush my four-year-old daughter’s hair.
“If I attempt to go for a run I’m left in agony, it’s horrendous. The NHS are happy to shell out boob jobs for vanity reasons but I just want a reduction so I can live normally.
“Mr Hunt’s comments really ring true for me. The use of NHS funds for glamour and vanity reasons is disgraceful.
“It seems wrong that I should be denied a breast reduction on the NHS when it is seriously affecting my mental health.
“If the government stop the funding for cosmetic procedures then that might leave enough funding to help people who need the operations for medical reasons.”
Kim, of Chelmsford, Essex, was wearing a 38DD by the age of 13 and had ballooned to a double K cup by her early 20s.
While Kim’s friends longed for bigger boobs, the mum-of-two hated her chest and the unwanted attention they attracted from men. [half]
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On nights out men would make lewd comments about the mum’s chest, despite Kim always making sure her big bust was covered.
With her self-esteem at a low point, Kim turned to comfort eating and in 2010 she had ballooned to 19st 8Ibs.
Incredibly, her weight did not affect her bust size and she stayed a massive 38KK.
“I hated my boobs so much I comfort ate,” recalls Kim. “I would snack on chocolate and sweets when I was feeling low, and soon my waistline started to grow but my boobs didn’t.
“At my biggest weight I felt so depressed that I decided to lose weight in an attempt to shed some pounds from my boobs aswell. But it was to no avail.”
In 2014, Kim lost a massive four stone but her chest size stayed the same humongous size.
But after years of having a massive bust – Kim’s health has taken a turn for the worse.
Last month she was diagnosed with arthritis of the spine and believes her boobs are to blame.
She hasn’t been in a relationship for three years for fear of showing a man her massive bust.
However, Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group denied her request for surgery to reduce her to a D cup because her circumstances were not “exceptional”.
Last year, NHS surgeons carried out 790 breast implant operations costing the taxpayer approximately £3.5 million.
Single mum Kim, who lives with her daughters Alana, 14, and Alyssa-Mae, four, said the condition is also affecting her mental health.
She said: “People see me as a confident girl, but it is far from the truth. I have no self-esteem because my chest has ruined my life.
“I’ve lost all my confidence and haven’t been seen naked by a man for three years.
“The thought of showing a man my chest horrifies me because they’re so heavy and saggy. Wherever I go men make lewd comments at me, it’s embarrassing.
“Women are always getting boobs jobs and nose jobs on the NHS, it seems unfair I can’t get a breast reduction when it isn’t just for cosmetic reasons but for my health.
“Girls out there are getting nose jobs and boobs jobs on the NHS, going up from A’s to DD’s. So it seems unfair I can’t get a breast reduction.
“I have never been on benefits in my life, and I’m a single working mum so I can’t afford to pay for the surgery privately.
“I can’t get involved with my children when they are playing, and I look ridiculous.
“Where ever I go people stare at my chest or make lewd comments. I hate it and the NHS won’t do anything.”