When Alison Dinsdale embarked on a slimming programme she never thought it would save her life.

Alison’s weight had fluctuated from being young, but pregnancy and the loss of her mother 12 years ago to breast cancer contributed to her weight gain.

Weighing 15st at her heaviest and buying size 22 clothing gave the Bradford mother-of-two the impetus to take action. “I’ve always battled with my weight from being young and I thought, ‘I’ve had enough of this’.”

Alison, 34, had convinced herself she wasn’t big but the increase in her clothing brought home the reality and she became determined to do something about it. It was ultimately a decision that saved her life.

After seeing her sister-in-law’s success with Slimming World, Alison joined Kirby Wiggins’s group at Horton Bank Methodist Church in Great Horton last January.

“My sister-in-law joined Slimming World last September and she was doing so well I thought, ‘I need to do this for my own health’,” says Alison. “Because I lost weight it helped me, I don’t think I would have found the lump otherwise.”

Alison is referring to a lump she discovered in her right breast in September. By that time she had lost more than 3st through the Slimming World food optimising plan.

Losing weight enabled her to exercise more and she noticed her body becoming more toned. She is convinced that had she not lost weight, she may not have discovered the lump as soon as she did.

Without hesitation Alison went to the doctor’s. Initially it was thought to be a cyst but with her family history, having lost her mum to breast cancer, further investigations were carried out and a biopsy revealed that the lump, which was the size of a 50p piece when removed, was Grade 3, an aggressive form of the disease.

Alison has since had the lump removed and is due to start chemotherapy treatment, to be followed by radiotherapy.

“I’ve always been told to check my breasts because of my mum. Losing weight hasn’t just helped me get 3½st off – it has saved my life,” she says.

Alison is already seeing the health benefits losing weight has brought. Being able to exercise, she is far more fitter than she was and is now able to walk three miles a day.

“In all fairness, I feel fantastic,” she says. “Putting this (the breast cancer) aside, I don’t feel poorly, I feel the healthiest since I had my children. I am a lot fitter. I had got a bit of arthritis in my knee which was down to weight and I also had psoriasis. But doing exercise has taken the pressure off my knee, and I am increasing exercising.”

As well as having the support of her family – husband Darren and daughters Hannah, 12 and nine-year-old Grace – Alison has forged new friendships through Slimming World.

She has been overwhelmed with the support she has received. “It’s fantastic,” she says.

Alison hopes her story will inspire others who are thinking of losing weight to “just do it”. She says if she could stand on a podium and encourage everyone to lose weight for their own health and well-being, she would.

Through joining Slimming World. she has adopted a healthier eating regime which is not only beneficial to her but also to her family. “They are eating a lot better. We have all enjoyed the meals,” she says. “I’ve never eaten as much food as I do now – not even on a diet. I don’t go without anything.”

Slimming World consultants Kirby Wiggins and Lisa Brooke have supported Alison through her slimming success.

“She is just such an inspiration, not just to me but everybody in the group,” says Kirby, who runs the class Alison attends.

Lisa, who runs classes in Queensbury, Buttershaw and Horton Bank Top, got to know Alison through Slimming World’s ‘Race at Your Place’ earlier this year to raise funds for Cancer Research.

“She is always smiling and positive, no matter how her week has gone, which really inspires the other members and motivates them,” says Lisa.

“She captures what Slimming World is all about – changing the way you eat and think about food without missing out on the things you enjoy, being more active and making friends in group.

“Her family are wonderfully supportive and are also feeling the benefit of eating more healthily. She feels that if she can help just one person with her story, it will be worthwhile.

“I admire her so much for doing that when she is in the middle of treatment and has so much going on,” says Lisa.