Dawid and Rose-Mari Lombard ditched 12 litres of Coke and two loaves of bread a day and, with medical help and daily walking, lost a combined 40 stone to protect their son
When Dawid and Rose‑Mari Lombard walked into the clinic, their household was in crisis. Years of highly processed foods, sugary drinks and little movement had left them with serious health problems and a home life under strain. What followed was not a miracle overnight, but a tightly supervised, practical programme of medication, nutrition and staged activity that quickly transformed their daily reality—and pulled their son Divan out of a painful spiral at school.
Food and the turning point
Before treatment, the family’s daily diet revolved around ultra‑processed staples. They reported consuming up to 12 litres of cola and two loaves of white bread each day. Those habits fuelled severe metabolic disease: Dawid approached 300 kg and battled type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea and chronic inflammation.
Rose‑Mari weighed roughly 140 kg and faced similar cardiometabolic risks. Their son, Divan, was being bullied at school—something the family says finally pushed them to seek help.
Under the clinic’s guidance, change began with simple swaps. Sugary drinks vanished from everyday life, replaced by water and the occasional sugar‑free alternative.
Meals shifted away from white bread and processed convenience foods toward lean proteins, vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice and rye bread. Those modest changes, supported by clinical oversight, rippled through the home: Divan lost about 10 kg, a reminder of how adult choices quickly shape children’s habits.
A gentle, staged approach to movement
At the outset even short walks were a challenge. A biokineticist set tiny, attainable targets—100 metres of walking a day and light arm exercises—then slowly extended goals as the family’s fitness improved. Within weeks they were taking regular walks of several kilometres. That step‑by‑step method reduced injury risk, built confidence and made exercise feel doable rather than punitive.
Medical and multidisciplinary support
The Bloemfontein clinic, Dr Smook & Partners, delivered a multidisciplinary plan combining dietitian counselling, pharmacotherapy and graded exercise. Dawid’s regimen included injections of a medication that helps regulate glucose and curb appetite; Rose‑Mari used the same drug for a period before consolidating her progress through diet and physical activity alone. Regular reviews with allied health professionals meant medication doses, goals and tolerance could be adjusted as needed.
Early, striking results
The numbers are striking: the couple’s combined weight loss is reported at roughly 264 kg (about 40 stone)—with Dawid losing an estimated 183 kg and Rose‑Mari about 81 kg. Dawid reportedly dropped around 20 kg in his first month, a change that translated into immediate, practical gains: better mobility, more independence in daily tasks and dramatic reductions in waist circumference. Some surgical follow‑up is expected to address excess skin, a common consequence of large, rapid weight loss.
Family and psychological benefits
The improvements weren’t only physical. The family describes better posture, rising self‑confidence and a noticeable decline in bullying directed at Divan. Making walks a shared activity turned rehabilitation into a family project rather than a solitary struggle. That social support appears to have strengthened adherence and lifted morale across the household.
Implications for health services and payers
The Lombards’ case highlights two realities for health systems and insurers. On one hand, medically supervised, multidisciplinary programmes can deliver fast clinical wins and may reduce near‑term demand for acute obesity‑related care. On the other, these programmes require upfront investment—specialist staff, medication and ongoing follow‑up—and payer confidence will hinge on long‑term maintenance, standardized outcome tracking and clarity about downstream needs such as reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation.
Commissioners and employers are increasingly asking for stronger longitudinal evidence: durable adherence rates, consistent outcome measures and realistic cost‑benefit analyses. Scaling this model would also mean expanding the workforce—more biokineticists, dietitians and nurse‑led clinics—and tapping digital vendors only if they can demonstrate lasting engagement and cost offsets.
Risks, limits and individual variation
Success depended on household behaviour change, access to specialist clinicians and a sensible, progressive exercise plan. But risks remain: relapse, medication side effects, inconsistent follow‑up and limited access to multidisciplinary teams outside private clinics. Rose‑Mari paused injections at one point and maintained weight loss through lifestyle changes, while Dawid continues medication and is planning surgery—showing how treatment paths can diverge even within the same family.
Food and the turning point
Before treatment, the family’s daily diet revolved around ultra‑processed staples. They reported consuming up to 12 litres of cola and two loaves of white bread each day. Those habits fuelled severe metabolic disease: Dawid approached 300 kg and battled type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnoea and chronic inflammation. Rose‑Mari weighed roughly 140 kg and faced similar cardiometabolic risks. Their son, Divan, was being bullied at school—something the family says finally pushed them to seek help.0
