Less than a year ago, Helen Jacobs-Grant was confined to a wheelchair and could barely stand - but now she is preparing to run a mile for charity.

The mother-of-six, from Gillingham, has turned her life around after having gastric band surgery and shedding 11st.

Helen suffered an abdominal injury after the birth of her youngest son Harvey, now six.

She was in so much pain it hurt to even climb the stairs so she rarely went out.

Helen was already overweight and the pounds continued to pile on. She said she became a hermit and felt like her life was not worth living.

When she did go out, the pain from her injury and the fact she was partially-sighted meant Helen had to use a wheelchair to get around.

The 42-year-old, who has albinism, said the root of her problems was low confidence.

She would turn to food for comfort, so her weight crept up. At her heaviest, she was 23st.

Last year - as she awaited surgery to repair a hernia - Helen was referred to A Better Medway's physical disability instructor Mikey Reynolds at Medway Park.

Despite already shedding 7st through healthy eating, Helen was unable to stand on her own for more than 15 seconds.

She said: "Mikey set me realistic goals, and supported me along the way. He helped me understand the importance of exercise especially when I could barely move my legs and the correct foods to be eating for healthy weight loss."

Helen underwent surgery in December to repair the hernia and have a gastric band fitted. Just eight weeks later, she ditched her wheelchair.

She said: "I was leaving Medway Park and waiting for a lift when I decided I would try walking home, and I've never looked back."

In April, Helen took up running and now she also enjoys belly-dancing and kung fu. She has her heart set on running a marathon in 2015, but her next goal is running the Medway Mile on Friday.

She said: "If you had told me a year ago that I would be running and doing kung fu, I would have laughed my head off. I'd never done anything like that before.

"If you had told me a year ago that I would be running and doing kung fu, I would have laughed my head off..." - Helen Jacobs-Grant

"Now, I'm totally different in every way. Before I was chained to the house, now I can't wait to get out every day."

Since her surgery, Helen has lost another four stones and the changes she has made to her diet and lifestyle mean her eyesight has improved so much, she is no longer registered as blind.

Helen now volunteers with A Better Medway to inspire others to make the same lifestyle changes she has and she will be running the Medway Mile with the rest of the team on Friday.

Helen hopes her story can help others turn their lives around.

She said: "If there is anyone overweight who feels trapped and like they can't go on living, they need to know there is help out there, you just have to ask."

Helen's story is featured on the TV show Fat Surgeons, on Wednesday, at 8.30pm on Really (Freeview 17, Sky 148, Virgin 267).