Callan mum sheds over two stones in 10 weeks for Susie Long Hospice Fund!

A SCHOOLGIRL who walked with her mum every day for ten weeks helped her shed a massive 31.25 pounds for charity.

Mags O'Keeffe from Callan, Co. Kilkenny is the winner of the Susie Long Hospice Fund Ten Week BodyLight Weight Loss Challenge 2012.

Our pictures (by Pat Moore) show the proud mum showing off her new curves while walking with her 12-year-old daughter, Paige, who kept her motivated throughout the diet.

In accepting her prize at a 'Reveal Night' in Ryan's bar in Kilkenny on Friday, April 13, Mags paid tribute to Paige for keeping her on the straight and narrow. "She was my cheerleader and I'd never have got up and walked every day without her," Mags said.

BodyLight dietician Tom Brennan presented a cheque for €3,000 to the Susie Long Hospice Fund (SLHF) on the night. Tom waived his fee to help raise money for the charity. Cancer affected Tom's own family and he decided to use his nutritional expertise to help the Susie Long Hospice Fund continue their campaign to fundraise for a hospice for the people of Carlow-Kilkenny. Participants in the challenge also collected sponsorship and the final amount raised is expected to soar above €4,000.

Other interesting facts:
The couple who shed the most weight was Martin and Mary Nolan from Castlewarren, Co Kilkenny, who lost a combined 43.5 pounds;
Total weight loss by just over 30 dieters on the challenge came to 27 stones.

John Britton, who did another mammoth cycle on behalf of Susie Long Hospice Fund in 2011: Kilkenny to Montreux and raised over €1,600!

Read all about John's fundraiser here