Stories of Success

Tom

For Tom, learning about healthy eating habits was key to losing weight. When he began the program, his mobility was limited due to pain. He grew to love water exercises, and continues to work out in the pool six days a week.

Jacob

Jacob was one of the first patients in the medical weight-loss program at Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness Center.

Lindsay

Stress, emotional eating and depression added up to weight gain for Lindsay, who at her heaviest was 399 pounds. But in January 2016, she made the decision to take control of her health with exercise and a nutritious diet.

Lacey

Lacey was a participant in the surgical weight loss program at Memorial Weight Loss & Wellness. She tried many diets and weight-loss techniques over the years, but her successes were short-lived. When she first joined the Weight Loss & Wellness Center, she thought of surgery as an “easy way out.” But after her weight loss plateaued, she agreed to consider it.

Prior to her surgery, a mindful eating class helped change her life by reshaping her emotional relationship

Sparkle Hill

After a full day working with senior citizens and special needs kids and adults, Sparkle Hill would come home from her job at the Decatur Park District thoroughly exhausted. Her first stop was the bedroom, where she would lie down and wait until the pain went away. She knew the culprit was her weight, an issue she had struggled with most of her life. By March 2015, she weighed 358 pounds. She was tired of being in pain. She knew something had to change.

Nichole Jones

Cassie Pollard

Cassie Pollard's weight steadily increased into her 30s. Fearing diabetes and other health complications, she underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in 2005. She now enjoys a healthy, active life and is an accomplished runner.

Shirley Black

After coloring on the floor with her 2-year-old niece last September, Shirley Black knew it was finally time to get serious about knee-replacement surgery. She couldn’t get up without help.

Greg Mayes

At 31, Greg was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Three years later, he was still having trouble regulating his blood sugar, and he was beginning to notice increasing health complications due to his diabetes. He knew something had to give.

Margarita Martin

Margarita Martin was tired of excess weight wreaking havoc on her health and underwent a gastric bypass procedure through Memorial's Bariatric Services Program. Now she participates in 5K fun runs, biathlons and even completed a half marathon.