From Surviving to Thriving: Jan Relaunches Her New Slimming World Group in Gipton to Help Others Transform Their Lives
A Gipton woman who has overcome serious health battles is set to inspire her local community to live healthier, happier lives as she launches her own Slimming World group this month.
Jan, who once found it easy to stay slim, never imagined she’d struggle with her weight. But life threw more than a few curveballs her way. An autoimmune condition that needed monthly injections, steroid treatment, a fractured back, shift work, pneumonia, and a hysterectomy that triggered early menopause—all contributed to steady weight gain that felt impossible to stop.
At her lowest point, Jan faced a devastating breast cancer diagnosis during the Covid pandemic. “When you hear the word cancer, nothing else matters—losing weight wasn’t even on my radar,” Jan says. “All I cared about was surviving.”
Survive she did—and with remarkable strength. But after treatment, Jan knew something had to change. She tried running to lose weight but soon realised you can’t outrun a poor diet. Caring for her father during his illness and losing him was another heartbreak that pushed her to comfort eat. When her brother was later diagnosed with cancer too, it became a turning point.
“Watching my brother fight so bravely made me stop and really think about my own health,” Jan says. “I wanted to be strong, to have energy, and to really live my life—not just exist.”
She turned to Slimming World, a plan she knew well from her wedding days. “I knew it worked, but this time I wasn’t doing it for a big day—I was doing it for me,” she says. “The support I received was incredible. It wasn’t about depriving myself—it was about learning how to enjoy food in a healthy, balanced way. I could still have my favourite treats, and I never felt hungry.”
Now, nearly two stone lighter and full of energy for the future, Jan is on a mission to help others in Gipton feel the same freedom. She’s launching her own Slimming World group at The Old Firestation, Gipton, with weekly sessions starting Wednesday 16th July at 5.30pm and 7pm.
Jan hopes her story will show local people that no matter what life throws at you, there is always hope—and support is out there. “If I can do this, after everything my body and my heart have been through, then so can you,” she says. “Everyone deserves to feel good in themselves.”
For more information about Jan’s Slimming World group, simply come along on Wednesday or contact her on 07414 782882.