Dying to Live: Man shares lifesaving weight loss journey in new documentary

A programme on S4C, ‘Marw Isio Byw’ (‘Dying to Live’), follows Ioan as he reaches his goal of getting a kidney transplant after losing 30 stone.

Ioan shared: “I had no self-control. Food controlled everything I did and how I lived my life. At the time, I didn’t accept that I was addicted to food and was overeating. But, looking back, I obviously was.”

At university and through his twenties Ioan’s weight ballooned with his health consequently deteriorating, and a month after his 27th birthday, he almost lost his life.

He said: “I think I really pushed myself as far as I could in terms of how much my body could take. The hospital staff told me that the next eight hours were critical and that I may not be here in the morning.”

“It was immediately obvious that my kidneys had been severely damaged. They told me that things didn’t look good and that we needed to start talking about dialysis. The size and weight of my body meant I had no chance of getting a transplant. The truth is, I was far too fat.”

His family and friends were very worried sick about him, especially his mother. He said: “Were we worried about his health? I thought he was going to eat himself to the grave.”

Looking back at his clothes from this period, Ioan’s waist measured almost six feet, and he had to buy special clothes that would fit him.

“I could be here all day blaming this and that for the situation I was in, but it simply comes down to two things – I was too greedy and too lazy.”

“When I look back, I feel embarrassed that I had chosen to live my life like that. It’s only now that I realise what I’d done to myself and my body.”

Over a period of seven years, Ioan lost over half his weight. He underwent bariatric surgery to reduce his stomach and remove excess skin. 30 stone lighter, he was finally considered eligible for a transplant.

With special access to the hospital, ‘Marw Isio Byw’ (24th of March, 8.00pm, S4C) will follow Ioan as he finally gets a kidney transplant and hopes to regain his life.

Eleri Pollard, Ioan’s mother, was beyond grateful when she found out she was a match and could donate one of her kidneys to her son: “I want Ioan to live his life, he deserves it.”

Ioan is now hoping for a healthier future: “I’ve been through so much. I just want this to work without any problems. I think it’s natural to worry more about Mam than myself because Mam is putting herself in a vulnerable position to try to improve my life. It all depends on this now.”

Marw Isio Byw airs this Monday 24 March at 8pm on S4C and will also be available to watch on S4C Clic.