ON THE SECOND episode of RTÉ’s Operation Transformation viewers were introduced to new leader Clare Scanlon, who told the tragic story of her 15-year-old son’s death from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.

In an emotional circle of truth, she spoke about going to wake Darra up for school and finding he had passed away during the night.

“There’s bits of me still there. I had him when I was only 19 so we were great buddies and I suppose he was everything,” she said.

Darra was a happy teenager who was always active and loved playing sports. Since his funeral, Clare said she feels she is just existing rather than really living her life.

The impact of that, no-one gives you a manual for it or no-one can understand it unless it has happened to them. I do what I need to do for Tom [her husband] and Liam and Caoimhe [her other children] and they are not without but I don’t know, I am just not me anymore.

The heartbroken mother said she has kept going for her two other children, but does not have the energy to put into herself and her weight is creeping up all the time.

She has always struggled with her weight and added pounds after her pregnancies. She now finds it hard to get motivated and says that chocolate and biscuits – generally with a cup of tea – are her downfall.

Clare hopes that tackling her weight will be the first step in learning to feel happy and start enjoying life again.

Read: The TV show single-handedly fighting Ireland’s obesity epidemic is back>

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