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Help Chantelle With Skin Removal

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Hello! Thanks for clicking on my page!

My name is Chantelle, and at my highest known weight, I weighed roughly around 180kg (396lbs/28 Stone) . After 2 years of fighting anxiety, regret, Sweat and tears ive managed to knock off 97kg.

I now weigh 82.2kg (181lbs/12 Stone)
I have had a gastric sleeve procedure done to help reduce the amount of food intake i can have. I have beaten food addiction... now i need your help in beating body dysmophia and helping me get my excess skin removed.

I give alot to the community as a whole, Through facebook and instagram, i provide support always to people who need it. I am looking for support myself now.

I am not eligible for Medicare or Medibank to do it for free regardless of what issues I'm having. There is a small rebate I'm entitled to.

Due to the extent of work I need doing I prefer to go overseas to avoid costs here in Australia now, I've had a quote for a third of what I've been quoted here.
I don't have $28k lying around to do it in Australia
my bank denied me a personal loan as I've had to move house within the last 3 months to support my husbands change in job and also my own change of job in the last 3 months. They told me to wait 12 months and try again.
grant is unable to get credit at the moment to assist me moving forward due to his change of job.
I don't have enough super to fund it myself at the moment (maybe in 5 years) in australia. Those who know about super know that they take a huge tax portion when withdrawing and if you are lucky for it to be released.



** updates**
17/07/2017

Although I've had my head ripped off and handed back to me, nasty messages and status updates indicated at me this week by the online keyboard warriors on earth... human beings still amaze me with the generosity and love they can provide to people they haven't met in real life. I rise above it, I choose now to ignore it and not to react to it. My @gofundme was posted by one of my girlfriends originally without my knowledge and I went along with it after I saw the support I was being offered, I had one opened last year and got some donations which helped go towards consultations and are still banked in my current kitty, I felt bad for people contributing to my failures and problems and thought why should you be asking people for help when you caused the issue? To be frank a lot of people have said they want to help me so It've allowed it to continue, I won't take any notice of negativity or people "abusing" me for asking for help. If you don't want to... it's simple.. scroll on and enjoy the rest of your day.. my post isnt going to cause you any distress... move on and please don't abuse me with your messages of disapproval, I'm not interested,

Plastic surgery in Australia is expensive, very... I was quoted $28 thousand dollars for a lower body lift. With my health fund only covering a very small amount. I wish I had that kind of money lying around but with the economy we live into day and living expenses it's impossible for some low and middle income earners.

To clear things up
I am not eligible for Medicare or Medibank to do it for free regardless of what issues I'm having. There is a small rebate I'm entitled to.
due to the extent of work I need doing I prefer to go overseas to avoid costs here in Australia now, I've had a quote for a third of what I've been quoted here.
I don't have $28k lying around to do it in Australia
my bank denied me a personal loan as I've had to move house within the last 3 months to support my husbands change in job and also my own change of job in the last 3 months. They told me to wait 12 months and try again.
grant is unable to get credit at the moment to assist me moving forward due to his change of job.
I don't have enough super to fund it myself at the moment (maybe in 5 years) in australia. Those who know about super know that they take a huge tax portion when withdrawing and if you are lucky for it to be released.

I don't like asking people for help, why should others fix my problems I would think? I do give quite a lot to the community and I was hoping that some people may want to help me out on this journey! After putting my pride to the side and allowing people to come in and help me I'm absolutely in awe and gobsmacked with the generosity and support people have for me..

I have contributed my own "pocket money" this month and have put $120 in my own surgery kitty. With everyone's help so far I'm only $350 away from actually putting a deposit down and be able to lock in a date!!!! I can't thank you guys enough, if you are interested in contributing $1, $2 or $5 please visit the link in my bio. Thank you again all so very much and thank you for making my reality one step closer








12/07/2017

Hello! Thanks for clicking on my page!

My name is Chantelle, and at my highest known weight, I weighed roughly around 180kg



You can find me on Instagram @ChantelleVSG

I also run and produce a podcast for the WLS
community under @changingourweighspc





Last Year i appeared on the "Today Show Australia" Through Channel 9!
If you found me through here thank you! <3



Like many, I have been overweight my entire life. Most people talk down on people that are overweight saying they are fat and lazy, but some people, like me, had underlying medical problems that were fighting against me my entire life. No matter what I did, I'd steadily gain,
I had multiple issues including PCOS, Thyroid Issues, Insulin resistance, Depression & Anxiety and years of bullying.

I have done numerous magazines telling my story in hope i can reach out to someone to help me remove this skin.





I had to take my life back with Weight Loss Surgery . And now I have to take my life back and free myself from my own body. . .

Here we are 2 years post surgery, and I have lost a total of 97.7kg





  I never in a million years thought I would be half as successful as I have been thus far. Ultimately i am happy where I am right now.. Happy as I can be that is. My excess skin is a huge burden, as I'm sure some of you know from your own experiences.





My journey hasn't been straight edge, its been challenging, emotionally, physically and mentally.
Still to this day im having emotional breakdowns over how i look, having anxiety meltdowns because when i look in the mirror, i see the old me still even though the weight has shifted and its because of the shell i carry with me, the reminder of the excess weight i carried.

 
Emotionally and Mentally in particular, Previously i was an emotional eater, i would binge eat for boredom, emotions whether happy or sad or just snack for the sake of it, my eyes were bigger than my belly,

After having a strict diet, restricting myself, ensuring im active as possible and opening up myself to a whole new chapter I have lost almost half my self, and the body I am left to deal with is miserable.
It has nothing to do with looks at this point.. I have the same body I did 83kg ago, its just deflated. It effects me in my day to day life. 

My excess skin is hampering my progress in a number of ways. It's causing me to be unable to wear clothes that fit well, it's causing painful rashes and is unhygienically trapping sweat which can quickly lead to serious infections.

 Total loss as of today- 97.7kg
13 months ago i took the biggest step of my life and underwent WLS with Dr Patrick Moore, I was 179.9kg

Sleeved March 5th 2015

Highest Weight Recorded- 179.9kg
Surgery Date Weight- 163.9kg
Current Weight- 82.2kg

Total loss as of today- 97.7kg

Height - 165cm
Size clothing before - 26/28
Size clothing now - 12/14

Bra size 
Pre- op - 26DD
Now - 14B




MILESTONES - completed

✅ crossed my legs
✅ can tie my own shoelaces
✅ can walk longer than 30 mins without being puffed out and actually enjoy the brisk walk and the feeling of my heart and lungs working
✅ when I go to a public toilet my bottom and legs no longer hit the sanitary bins
✅ I can touch my toes
✅ I can run around
✅ I wore a bikini on a public beach
✅ I am no longer a user of sleep apnea equipment 
✅ I have been cleared of PCOS after 7 years
✅ I have regular periods after years of not having any
✅ I can fit in "normal" clothing at stores now
✅ shave my legs in the shower and not become a contortionist 
✅ having extra room to roll over in bed when it's sleep time


I recently sought out a plastic surgeon and was quoted $28k for surgery to remove the skin in Australia.
Overseas im looking at $10k which is a huge difference.

Ive been told i need an extended tummy tuck/Belt lipectomy.

The excess skin has started to cause me problems with it not being able to let trapped skin breathe causing some infections and skin breakages, Medicare and Medibank have changed policy in the last 12 months changing the criteria for elective surgery which unfortunately I only meet 4/5 requirements. I have started saving, if I at least have a deposit this is something I'm gonna do for me, once the deposit is down its actually going to be happening so I hope to have at least $6k by November,
I already have $1400 to contribute.

Im hoping to have $2,500 by september so i can book in my date! 


I am not the type to ask for help, for ANYTHING, even from my family or those closest to me. I know a lot of people don't agree with this kind of thing, and that's fine, you don't HAVE to donate. You can respectfully disagree. 

I've made amazing friendships on Instagram/Facebook and multiple weight loss forums all through the common ground of weightloss, if anyone knows the struggle, its you guys. I never expected my instagram and my facebook to reach so many people. There have been so many tell me how much I've helped them and how much I motivate them, and for that, I am forever grateful. 
Www.instagram.com/chantellevsg

I dont expect everyone to donate to this, and I definitely dont feel anyone should feel obligated to do so,But to a lot of people, a dollar isn't too much of value, but to me, it would literally mean the world! 

Whether I come close to my goal or not, I will document every second of this journey that I can. It's the chapter I've been waiting for!! 

Your contribution will be helping me complete the process of getting my life back and realizing my full potential. Even if its $1, it still helps!


I will be forever grateful. Thank you for taking the time to read this.




Chantelle xoxoxo

******************************************************
25/06/2016 - our story goes live around the world.



I just wanted to put an update up considering I've had a lot of backlash over the past 24-48 hours, I've had a lot of support but a lot of hate messages, I didn't do this as a "begging" or to expect people to pay for me to have my skin removed, I did it so I could get some help, yes I'll admit I did this to myself and it is not problem and no one else's,

As for the media and me apparently milking everything I can get this isn't the case, a journalist discovered me and wanted to share my story to help me out, my excess skin is a negative and effects me daily to the point where I've wanted to get a knife and cut the skin off myself, it emotionally and mentally drains me, I'm not and I stress I'm not expecting a hand out, I will and still continue to work on myself daily however I've been told this skin it's going to be there regardless of toning or exercising etc

To the people who continue to belittle me and put me down saying I'm a disgrace and I should be ashamed and not congratulated, this is your own opinion and you are entitled to it however I believe that I have done the right thing, I finally took control of my life after it got out of control and did what I needed to do,

The surgery didn't fix me, it was a tool to give me control and discipline, yeah I could of done the hard work of dieting and exercise which I do now but it didn't take away the control of wanting to eat bad things which thankfully I now have control over.

There was a number of things not mentioned in the articles and the magazine which included my issues with insulin resistance, PCOS, depression, anxiety, bullying and being a social outcast because of my size, after the surgery I had to deal with my hair falling out, my skin condition changing, my apron as I call it often has skin breaks and infection or rashes because it can't breathe, body dysmorphia has come into play with my head not being able to catch up with everything that's happening and making me think I'm still 179kg,

I did this gofundme for assistance, I did it because I wanted some help, I'm not expecting people to do a handout for me, I'm not expecting anyone to donate who doesn't believe I deserve it, it's your own opinion and I respect that, the only thing I wish is that if you don't like my story or don't like what I've done, you scroll on and continue your day and don't ruin mine


Chantelle X



Organizer

Chantelle Fleming
Organizer
Melbourne VIC

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