When doctors told Dhiraj Bhandary in 2018 that he had a rare, life-threatening disease and type 2 diabetes, he moved quickly to take charge of his health and transform his life.
Bhandary took up distance running and changed his lifestyle. Over the past four years, he has run four full marathons and 85 half marathons – 10 of these actual races and 75 runs in training – an average of one half marathon a month.
He dropped 21kg (46lb), from 96kg in 2018 to 75kg in 2020, and now weighs about 78kg. He went off medication for his type 2 diabetes in 2020. He inspired his wife and 12-year-old son to take up running, too.
His transformation six years ago came after a diagnosis of Fournier’s gangrene, a type of necrotising fasciitis or bacterial infection that may cause parts of the body’s soft tissue to die.