This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 7th, 2015at 4:00 pm by zoe.leahy@activenation.org.uk

GP Referral Scheme Gave Kay A New Lease Of Life And Now She Is Helping Others

Active Nation Supporter Kay Veitch says she has found a new lease of life after going to the gym as part of a GP Referral scheme. Despite 2 knee replacements, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and borderline diabetes Kay has just completed a personal challenge of walking up 338 steps to the top of Lincoln Cathedral – something which she feels would have been impossible before!

It was her borderline diabetes that led Kay to the doctors and onto the programme that has transformed her life.

Kay said: “I was going to join the gym and was talking to the doctor about how to control the diabetes when they said they could write me a prescription for that. I wasn’t sure what they meant at first, but the 12 week programme has changed my life and it really is the best thing I could have done!”

Diabetes runs in Kay’s family, both of her parents suffered with it and so did one of her grandparents. Knowing only too well that it can lead to limb amputations and daily injections, Kay decided that she was going to take control and make the most of her referral.

Before she started Kay had already lost weight through her diet and has now lost a total of 2 and a half stone by changing her eating habits, lifestyle and exercise regime. Her blood tests are also back within the normal range.

She added: “As far as I am concerned I was given a prescription and this is a medication that you have to take as instructed. It has had a great result – the only problem is that none of my clothes fit me now!”

Part of Kay’s motivation has been the challenge to walk up 338 steep and narrow steps to the top of Lincoln Cathedral.

She added: “There is no way I could have done this before, but all of the team at Active Nation’s Yarborough Leisure Centre in Lincoln have been helping me to prepare and I am so glad that I have done it!”

As well as setting the personal challenge, Kay also collected more than £150 in sponsorship which she is donating to the Intensive Care Unit at Lincoln County Hospital in memory of Lauren Daisy. Lauren died following a car crash last year and since then her family and friends have raised more than £13,000 for the unit in a bid to show their appreciation for the ‘exceptional care’ she received at the hospital. Lauren’s mum is a nurse at Kay’s GP surgery and often takes her blood.

Kay added: “When I heard about the work the family was doing I knew that I wanted to help. And when I told my hairdresser what I was doing, she wanted to get involved too and climbed to the top of the cathedral with me.

“When I told strangers what I was doing on the walk up they also made donations – Lauren’s story has touched so many lives and thanks to the GP Referral Scheme I was able to get involved.

“Thanks to the scheme, I am now able to do things that I haven’t been able to do for a long time. I have got me back which has been missing for a couple of decades. I hope that more and more people get the same opportunity and experience that I have had.”

Many Active Nation venues run GP Referral Schemes like the one in Lincoln. For more information contact your doctor and see if there is one in your area and if you are eligible to take part.