By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 11 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:15 EST, 12 September 2012 . Incredible: Michelle Bonfield from Barkway in Hertfordshire, lost 10 per cent of her body weight in just seven weeks while attending an obesity clinic . A cancer survivor who has spent five years dieting to qualify for vital breast reconstruction surgery has slammed health chiefs for denying her the operation, even though she has shed nine stone. Michelle Bonfield, 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and endured months of gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The mother-of-two, who weighed 25 stone, beat the disease, but had to have her ovaries removed as well as a large section of her right breast. Doctors told her that she could not have breast reconstruction on the NHS unless she lost weight. So Mrs Bonfield, from Barkway, Hertfordshire,  spent five years battling to lose nine stone and dropped from a dress size 32 down to a 16. But despite her life-changing weight loss Mrs Bonfield, who now weighs 16 stone, has been told she still cannot have surgery she craves until she reaches 13.5 stone. Devastated Mrs Bonfield today argued that she had hit a natural ceiling in her weight loss, but has already shown her commitment to a healthier lifestyle. The angry mother slammed NHS bosses as penny-pinching and said dogmatic rules failed to take into account individual circumstances like hers. Mrs Bonfield claims part of the extra weight she has been left struggling to shift is down to the excess skin, left hanging off her body. She said her confidence was shattered after her breast operation and she has already shown how much getting her feminine curves back means to her. Mrs Bonfield said: 'I am so frustrated because they are not taking into consideration how far I have come. 'When I look at my body I wonder . where the weight is going to go from. Also they are not taking into . account the weight of my excess skin. 'I . do not agree with the BMI system. Many rugby players are well over . their BMIs because they are so muscly - but no-one would refuse them an . operation. 'If I want to pay then the private consultant is quite willing to operate on me. 'I . can understand the argument that I made myself obese so I should pay . for a tummy tuck, but I did not make myself get the "big C" so I should . be allowed reconstruction like everyone else.' Survivor: Mrs Bonfield, 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and endured months of grueling chemotherapy and radiotherapy . She added: 'It is all down to pound signs for . the NHS. I have asked the consultant to consider the details of my case, . but they say they have to stick to the guidelines. 'You . cannot really tell that one breast is smaller than the other when I am . dressed, but I can see the difference when I look down at my chest. 'It has affected me in myself. When I go swimming, or even go out I just don’t feel as confident as I used to. Fighting fit: Mrs Bonfield says her confidence was shattered after her breast operation and she should be allowed the reconstructive surgery as she has shown a big commitment to her new healthy lifestyle . 'I am still focused on getting my BMI down and I will never put the weight back on. But I strongly believe I should be allowed reconstruction now.' Mrs Bonfield was 38 when she found a lump in her right breast and doctors diagnosed her with grade three breast cancer. Surgeons removed part of her right breast including a 3cm lump and Michelle underwent seven months of chemotherapy and one of radiotherapy. Mrs Bonfield also took doctors advice to have a second operation to remove her ovaries 18 months later. In 2010 doctors gave Mrs Bonfield, who lives with her husband van driver husband Robert, 60, and children Cameron, 14, and Rowena, 13, the all clear. But she was disappointed to be told that her BMI of 57.6 - classed as super morbidly obese - was too high to qualify her for breast reconstruction. Mrs Bonfield started losing weight in 2007 with the help of the Addenbrooke’s Hospital obesity services. She was put on a diet of four pints of milk a day, a stock cube for salt, tablets for her bowels and a sugar-free jelly and given three months to lose 10 per cent of her body weight. Amazingly, Mrs Bonfield was successful in losing 10 per cent of her body weight in just seven weeks and after gradually reintroducing food she has managed a healthy diet ever since. But after five years of dieting Mrs Bonfield was been told she still needs to lose two-and-a-half stone to three-and-a-half stone. National NHS guidelines say patients must have a BMI between 27 and 30 in order to have breast reconstruction surgery and Mrs Bonfield’s consultant is happy to operate with a BMI of 30. Mrs Bonfield would also need a BMI of 27 to be allowed to have a tummy tuck to remove her excess skin, but in addition must hold that weight for two years.
Michelle Bonfield beat breast cancer after losing most of her right breast and her ovaries to the disease .
Mother-of-two has spent last five years dieting from a size 32 to a size 16 .
Doctors have told her she still needs to lose 2.5 to 3.5 stone to qualify for reconstructive surgery on her breasts .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:38 EST, 11 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:15 EST, 12 September 2012 . Incredible: Michelle Bonfield from Barkway in Hertfordshire, lost 10 per cent of her body weight in just seven weeks while attending an obesity clinic . A cancer survivor who has spent five years dieting to qualify for vital breast reconstruction surgery has slammed health chiefs for denying her the operation, even though she has shed nine stone. Michelle Bonfield, 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and endured months of gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The mother-of-two, who weighed 25 stone, beat the disease, but had to have her ovaries removed as well as a large section of her right breast. Doctors told her that she could not have breast reconstruction on the NHS unless she lost weight. So Mrs Bonfield, from Barkway, Hertfordshire,  spent five years battling to lose nine stone and dropped from a dress size 32 down to a 16. But despite her life-changing weight loss Mrs Bonfield, who now weighs 16 stone, has been told she still cannot have surgery she craves until she reaches 13.5 stone. Devastated Mrs Bonfield today argued that she had hit a natural ceiling in her weight loss, but has already shown her commitment to a healthier lifestyle. The angry mother slammed NHS bosses as penny-pinching and said dogmatic rules failed to take into account individual circumstances like hers. Mrs Bonfield claims part of the extra weight she has been left struggling to shift is down to the excess skin, left hanging off her body. She said her confidence was shattered after her breast operation and she has already shown how much getting her feminine curves back means to her. Mrs Bonfield said: 'I am so frustrated because they are not taking into consideration how far I have come. 'When I look at my body I wonder . where the weight is going to go from. Also they are not taking into . account the weight of my excess skin. 'I . do not agree with the BMI system. Many rugby players are well over . their BMIs because they are so muscly - but no-one would refuse them an . operation. 'If I want to pay then the private consultant is quite willing to operate on me. 'I . can understand the argument that I made myself obese so I should pay . for a tummy tuck, but I did not make myself get the "big C" so I should . be allowed reconstruction like everyone else.' Survivor: Mrs Bonfield, 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and endured months of grueling chemotherapy and radiotherapy . She added: 'It is all down to pound signs for . the NHS. I have asked the consultant to consider the details of my case, . but they say they have to stick to the guidelines. 'You . cannot really tell that one breast is smaller than the other when I am . dressed, but I can see the difference when I look down at my chest. 'It has affected me in myself. When I go swimming, or even go out I just don’t feel as confident as I used to. Fighting fit: Mrs Bonfield says her confidence was shattered after her breast operation and she should be allowed the reconstructive surgery as she has shown a big commitment to her new healthy lifestyle . 'I am still focused on getting my BMI down and I will never put the weight back on. But I strongly believe I should be allowed reconstruction now.' Mrs Bonfield was 38 when she found a lump in her right breast and doctors diagnosed her with grade three breast cancer. Surgeons removed part of her right breast including a 3cm lump and Michelle underwent seven months of chemotherapy and one of radiotherapy. Mrs Bonfield also took doctors advice to have a second operation to remove her ovaries 18 months later. In 2010 doctors gave Mrs Bonfield, who lives with her husband van driver husband Robert, 60, and children Cameron, 14, and Rowena, 13, the all clear. But she was disappointed to be told that her BMI of 57.6 - classed as super morbidly obese - was too high to qualify her for breast reconstruction. Mrs Bonfield started losing weight in 2007 with the help of the Addenbrooke’s Hospital obesity services. She was put on a diet of four pints of milk a day, a stock cube for salt, tablets for her bowels and a sugar-free jelly and given three months to lose 10 per cent of her body weight. Amazingly, Mrs Bonfield was successful in losing 10 per cent of her body weight in just seven weeks and after gradually reintroducing food she has managed a healthy diet ever since. But after five years of dieting Mrs Bonfield was been told she still needs to lose two-and-a-half stone to three-and-a-half stone. National NHS guidelines say patients must have a BMI between 27 and 30 in order to have breast reconstruction surgery and Mrs Bonfield’s consultant is happy to operate with a BMI of 30. Mrs Bonfield would also need a BMI of 27 to be allowed to have a tummy tuck to remove her excess skin, but in addition must hold that weight for two years.
September 2012 . Incredible: Michelle Bonfield who has spent five years dieting to qualify for 25 stone, beat the disease, but had to have her right breast. Doctors told her that she could not nine stone and dropped from a dress size 32 down three breast cancer. Surgeons removed part of her she still needs to lose two-and-a-half stone to