Photo: Payo / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
A 67-year-old man with a serious heart condition has credited Arsenal's Shape Up programme with enabling him to meet the medical criteria required for cardiac surgery. Anthony Holmes enrolled on the 12-week course in April 2026 after being diagnosed in March and advised to reduce his BMI before he could be considered for an operation.
"After being diagnosed with a serious heart condition in March 2026, I was advised that I needed to reduce my BMI to a suitable level before I could be considered for surgery," Holmes said. "I was referred to Shape Up and enrolled on the programme, starting in April 2026 for a 12-week course."
Holmes passed his pre-operative assessment at Barts Hospital on 7 June 2026. His surgery is scheduled for August 2026.
"On 7 June 2026, I attended my pre-operative assessment at Barts Hospital, which I passed with flying colours," he said. "I truly believe that the support and guidance I received through Shape Up has helped me reach this stage."
During the programme, Holmes took part in walking football, boxing, and circuit training, and subsequently joined a local gym, which he now attends daily. Participants tracked meals, snacks, fluid intake, and exercise levels through weekly diaries reviewed by coaching staff.
"Shape Up is built around the idea that this is a lifestyle change, not a short-term diet," Holmes said. "That is exactly what it delivers."
Holmes specifically cited the coaching team's knowledge of cardiology as a significant benefit given his condition, naming Rhys, Lee, Elliott, Dan, and Tamsa among those he credited. "I owe a massive debt of gratitude to Rhys and the whole Shape Up team," he said. "You have helped make it possible for me to extend my life."
The Shape Up programme is part of Arsenal's Active Arsenal Programmes, funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association Players' Fund and administered through the Premier League Foundation.