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Desperate measures
This documentary tells the story of the world's heaviest woman, Renee Williams, a 64-stone, 29-year-old mother of two who, in a desperate bid to save her life, undergoes life-threatening surgery.

Renee, who has realised she wants to be around long enough to see her two daughters grow up, hopes her story will help change the lives of the estimated two million Americans who weigh more than 40 stone. With obesity causing some 400,000 fatalities a year in the US, America is on the verge of eating itself to death.

Renee has been told for years that she was too heavy for a potentially life-saving gastric bypass but now, finally, a pioneering doctor has agreed to operate. Renee invited cameras into her normally private world a week before her surgery. From her bed, in which she has been trapped for the past four years, she talks about her size, her food, her children and her hopes. By going public with her story, Renee hopes that she can and will motivate other super morbidly obese people to seek help too.

Help comes in the form of Dr Nowzaradan at the Renaissance Hospital in Houston, who has performed more than 1,000 successful gastric bypasses and is willing to take on risks that others won't. "She begged people to help her and she went in to doctors' offices and got the door slammed in her face," says patient liaison officer Angie Flores.

Aware the stakes are high, Renee's 13-year-old daughter Mirina hopes that the operation will help her mum regain a normal life. "I would like to see her walking again," says Mirina, "and she'll help take care of us hopefully".

Renee will be the largest person ever to undergo a gastric bypass. The operation is her last chance but it carries a high risk. Either she will be on the way to losing 50 stone, or she'll die.

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DOCUMENTARY: Half Ton Mum, Channel 4 at 21:00 on Wednesday 2nd January 2008

Half Ton Mum, a BodyShock special, tells the story of the world's heaviest woman, Renee Williams, a 64-stone, 29-year-old mother of two who, in a desperate bid to save her life, undergoes life-threatening surgery. Renee, who has realised she wants to be around long enough to see her two daughters grow up, hopes her story will help change the lives of the estimated two million Americans who weigh more than 40 stone.
(Watch Online, Subtitles)

unfortunately renee died, her recovery went well and, in the two weeks after surgery, she lost 67 pounds which was an excellent start on her road to losing the 650 pounds which her surgeons were predicting for the three years following surgery.

On 4 March 2007 however she suddenly began experiencing chest pains and these were quickly followed by a massive heart attack from which she died.

Tragically, Renee Williams did not realize here dream of marrying on Valentine's Day 2008 or of being able to fulfill he wish to once again be a mother to her children but many will praise her for her braze decision to undergo surgery and will see her surgery as an inspiration in their own efforts to tackle morbid obesity.

rest in peace renee, my thoughts are with her family