The Wicklow woman had always been aware of her weight, but it wasn't until the last few years that she began to really think about the long term effects of her size.
In the last three years, Samantha began to worry about her health and her well being. Her size was never an aesthetic issue for her as she has always been outgoing and bubbly but she was beginning to worry about what might happen long term. "There wasn't one specific moment, but there were lots of what I'll call moments of indignity," she said. "Getting on a plane and need a seatbelt extension, going into a restaurant and thinking I'm not going to fit in that booth."
"I just remember the relief when I woke up from the surgery to know that, wow this is going to happen for me now and things are going to be okay."