Jassim is just half the man he was

Mar 1 2008 by Jule Wilson, The Journal

AFTER facing one of the biggest challenges of his life by losing almost half his body weight, Jassim Al-Kanani has set himself an even bigger one.

The 27-year-old, of Errington Road, Darras Hall, Ponteland, Northumberland, will be tackling this year’s Great North Run in aid of a little known charity which supports sufferers of colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Jassim, a student of international law at Newcastle University, chose the cause after years of seeing his brother Sami, 20, endure a painful intermittent abdominal condition, which was finally diagnosed as ulcerative colitis two years ago.

Undertaking the North East’s famous half-marathon on October 5 this year seemed a distant dream just over a year ago, in November 2006, when Jassim weighed in at around 23 stone 4lbs.

But a strict exercise regime plus cutting down on portion sizes has transformed Jassim into a slim, fit 14 stone 12lbs, and after several years of battling with his weight, during which he tried several diets, it was suffering a chest pain that finally gave Jassim the incentive he needed to change his lifestyle permanently.

He said: “I was just in bed one day and suddenly felt a chest pain and it was scary. I remember I couldn’t breathe properly so I decided it was time to do something about it.”

At first Jassim was too embarrassed to go straight to his doctor, and began walking on a treadmill at his local gym in order to lose some weight before seeking advice from his GP.

He said: “I actually lost about a stone before I even saw the doctor as I was so ashamed, but I needn’t have worried. My doctor was very supportive and not judgmental in the slightest.”

Jassim was initially given the fat reducing drug Orlistat, but felt it wasn’t working for him. Instead, he drastically reduced his portion sizes, cut out some starchy food and started using his local gym three times a week.

He said: “I started off doing around 20 minutes just walking on the treadmill at about 4km an hour, which is quite a lot slower than most people’s normal walking pace.

“But the weight fell off. I lost three stones in the first six weeks, and I went back to my GP so he could monitor my progress around every three months.”

Now Jassim receives tailored exercise programmes from a personal trainer.

He said: “I had to build it up gradually, but in terms of a challenge it’s nothing compared to what my brother and thousands of others in this country go through when dealing with their respective illnesses.

“I feel fitter than I have ever been in my life and I’m really looking forward to taking part in the run and raising some money for a charity I really feel deserves it.”

Jassim explained: “Sami has been in and out of hospital at least four times, and during his first bout, when they still didn’t know what it was, had to have a blood transfusion because he was so severely anaemic.”

Although Sami is now learning to manage his condition with the help of medication, he told The Journal that information gleaned from the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC) website had been invaluable in helping him to cope.

“The website has been a great support and has really helped just in terms of information about the condition.

“All types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are on the increase because of people’s modern lifestyle so I hope that people become more aware of the symptoms and the charity through Jassim.”

Sami, an A-level student at Newcastle College, who is hoping to study politics at university, used to enjoy running himself but can no longer do so due to his condition.”

NACC Chairman Elaine Steven said: “So often people living with colitis and Crohn’s say how difficult it is to talk to people who don’t have colitis or Crohn’s Disease and explain what it is really like to live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

“The symptoms are mostly invisible and either embarrassing or hard to describe, and it is not easy for other people to understand that our illness can flare-up so unpredictably.

“Teenagers and young adults are most at risk and this can impact drastically on education, work, social and family life.

“So supporting Jassim in his efforts to raise awareness and funds for NACC will help us continue to champion the needs of those who have these illnesses.”

To sponsor Jassim, visit his secure Just Giving website on http://www.bigjazznorthrun.com