Originally published: 10 April 2009
Obese Laura Ripley caused outrage in 2009, when she revealed she was still eating junk food despite having an £8,000 gastric sleeve on the NHS. Her surgery in 2007 – which sectioned off up to 75 per cent of her stomach to form a narrow tube that limited her food intake – helped her slim down from a huge 38st to 20st, after years of binge-eating.
'I had to lose weight for the sleeve- which I did- but I don't have the wilpower to do it again'
But, in August 2009, Laura told Closer she couldn’t afford to eat healthily on her £600-a-month of benefits and now admits she’s regained some of the weight she lost through surgery.
Despite continuing to eat chocolate and crisps every day, a 25st 8lbs Laura is booked in for a gastric bypass in June, which will cost the taxpayer up to £15,000. Laura is also hoping for arm and thigh lifts and a tummy tuck, on the NHS, worth a total of £12,000.
She says: “Some people might say I don’t deserve the second operation, but I do. It’s not my fault – I crave chocolate like every other woman. I always allow myself a few treats a day – usually two packets of Quavers and a chocolate bar at night.
“After my op, I ate small portions to start with – and I’ve done my best to lose weight. but I found I could eat more, so I did. My stomach has stretched and I’ve developed a small pouch, which lets me eat more.”
Laura, 28, from Hastings, who has never worked and lives off benefits, is one of the people costing the NHS more than £32million a year by having weight-loss surgery. Shockingly, operations like gastric bands have increased tenfold since 2000.
Tam Fry of the National Obesity Forum – made up of experts who treat obesity – is outraged Laura is having a second NHS-funded op.
He says: “Laura would have been told what to eat after her gastric sleeve, but she’s ignored advice and gone back to her old ways. The NHS came to her aid when it was necessary, but now she’s scrounging off the system and could be denying someone with a life-threatening illness, like cancer, surgery.”
Laura, who’s always struggled with her weight, says: “I had to lose weight for the sleeve – which I did – but I don’t have the willpower to do it again. I sometimes feel guilty about all the money that’s been spent on me. But, after the bypass, I could be 16st by Christmas. Then, I won’t eat crisps or chocolate.”
'I always allow myself a few treats a day- usually two packets of Quavers and a chocolate bar at night'
Aged 12, Laura weighed 15st and spent her pocket money on comfort food because she was bullied. She says: “I ate pizzas, pasties, burgers, ice cream and cakes. Mum couldn’t stop me.”
Over the next three years, 5ft 6 Laura put on an incredible 10st and, by the time she was 20, she was morbidly obese at 38st.
But when her mum, Doreen, suddenly died due to a weight-related illness in 2005, it shocked Laura into getting help. Doreen, who was 30st when she died, had been housebound and had breathing problems.
Laura recalls: “A doctor said unless I lost 20st I wouldn’t reach 25. He recommended I have the gastric sleeve.”
Having an anesthetic would be dangerous for someone of Laura’s size, so she was forced to shed more than 10st in 18 months by drinking diet shakes and cutting out junk. She weighed 27st when she had the operation in October 2007.
By August 2008, when she met chef boyfriend Simon, 31, she’d lost 7st and weighed 20st.
She says: “For six weeks, I was on fluids and ate small portions. But I found I could eat more.”
'I plan to get married and show off my new figure in a wedding gown'
When Closer spoke to Laura in 2009, she’d gained 2st – taking her up to 22st. She said she couldn’t afford healthy food because her weight loss meant she was no longer eligible for her £340-a-month disability living allowance.
In summer 2010 Laura – who had her disability allowance reinstated after gaining weight – saw her doctor, who confirmed her stomach had stretched. She was added to the waiting list for a gastric bypass – where the stomach capacity is halved.
Laura says: “I’m excited about the gastric bypass. Once I’ve lost the weight, I want to train to be a hairdresser. I don’t want to live off the State. I plan to get married and show off my new figure in a wedding gown.”
Each month, Laura claims £432 in incapacity benefit, £142 in income support, £420 in housing benefit and £78 in disability allowance.
Vegetarian Laura claims her daily diet includes Rice Krispies for breakfast, jacket potato with beans for lunch and spaghetti with Quorn Bolognese for dinner. But she admits: “Once a week, I have two slices of toast for breakfast and treat myself to a Subway salad wrap. When I crave chocolate, I try to have a low-fat Flyte bar instead. People think surgery is the easy option – but it’s the helping hand I need.”
Closer’s Dr Christian Jessen says: “A sleeve can only fail if the patient stretches their stomach. Perhaps Laura should have received treatment for her emotional state first. She’s probably gained weight because she didn’t stick to diet advice.”
By Jocelyn Cook