20 Feb 2026

Stomach reconstruction after botched overseas weight loss op

From Checkpoint, 5:22 pm on 20 February 2026

Five months on from a botched weight-loss operation in Turkey, a Manawatu woman is just days away from a full stomach reconstruction. Since returning home and falling unwell Helen Watson endured almost two months in hospital and half a dozen smaller operations. And while she hopes Monday's surgery signals the start of her recovery, her battle for compensation has stalled. Jimmy Ellingham reports.