Jan. 02, 2013
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January 2, 2013
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Jennifer Lawson
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Foothills Weight Loss Specialists surgeon Dr. Mark Colquitt, right, praised the success of patient/models during the 10th Annual Bariatric Fashion Show. With him is Blount Memorial Weight Management Center’s bariatric coordinator Dana Bradley, who is also a patient who has lost 100 pounds since her surgery.
Foothills Weight Loss Specialists and the Blount Memorial Weight Management Center on Dec. 13 hosted the Tenth Annual Bariatric Fashion Show at the Airport Hilton in Alcoa to celebrate 10 years of successful bariatric surgeries, more than 155,000 pounds lost, and better lives for more than 1,600 patients.
“Even more remarkable than the amount of weight lost is the dramatic change of lifestyle for our patients,” said surgeon Dr. Mark Colquitt of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists. “It is always moving to hear our patients share stories of newfound confidence, better health and the ability to wear fashionable clothes.”
This year’s show featured 25 post-weight loss surgery models on the runway. Collectively, the models have lost more than 2,500 pounds.
Nearly 400 of the participants’ family members and friends, along with dozens of past patients, attended the event. Many of the patients shared personal stories of success and inspiration as well as thanks to the Foothills and Blount Memorial staff.
Brenda Cornwell-Suppus was celebrating the next day the seventh anniversary of her bariatric surgery and a maintained 100-pound weight loss.
“I believe in this program. It’s the right thing to do if you meet the qualifications. You’ll never regret it. You have so much to gain by losing,” Cornwell-Suppus said.
The celebration also included a salute to surgeons Colquitt and Ray for their services to hundreds of patients. Dr. Colquitt said the fashion show the event of the year for many of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists patients and staff members.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of everyone in this room,” Dr. Colquitt said. “You’ve all had something to do with the success of the past 10 years.”
Dana Bradley, bariatric coordinator of the Blount Memorial Weight Management Center, celebrated as both a patient and a staff member. She’s lost 100 pounds since Dr. Colquitt performed her laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in February. Her son, D.J., attended the event with his mom, and was proud that she was able to run a 5k event with him recently.
While improving patients’ self-image and confidence are positive outcomes, the main goal of weight loss surgery is to improve health and well-being. In addition to losing more than a ton as a group, the models also resolved 50 cases of chronic medical problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Patient and show participant Carson Lynn, who has lost 250 pounds in 18 months since his gastric bypass, said the surgery saved his life.
“I was on oxygen, had high blood pressure and my heart was out of rhythm,” Lynn said. “If I hadn’t had the surgery, I’d probably be in the ground tonight.”
About Foothills Weight Loss Specialists
Located in Maryville, Tenn., Foothills Weight Loss Specialists offers bariatric surgery and weight loss solutions from board-certified surgeons, Dr. Mark A. Colquitt and Dr. Jonathan H. Ray. It has been designated a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Foothills Weight Loss Specialists is a division of Premier Surgical Associates and works in partnership with the Blount Memorial Weight Management Center. For more information and to register for a free live or online seminar on surgical weight loss, visit http://www.foothillsweightloss.com.
