News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 20, 2012
 
NINTH ANNUAL FASHION SHOW CELEBRATED WEIGHT LOSS SUCCESS

Foothills Weight Loss Specialists patient Ailene Carroll of Madisonville proudly shows off her new figure at a recent fashion show in Alcoa celebrating weight loss success. Nineteen post-surgery patients representing a combined 2,500 pounds lost showed off their new clothes and shared triumphant and often-emotional stories about how their lives had changed after losing weight. Carroll has lost 91 pounds since her gastric bypass in December 2010.

Foothills Weight Loss Specialists and the Blount Memorial Weight Management Center recently hosted their Ninth Annual Bariatric Fashion Show at the Airport Hilton in Alcoa to celebrate nine years of bariatric surgery, more than 125,000 pounds lost, and better lives for more than 1,300 patients.

This year's show featured 19 post-weight loss surgery models on the runway for the first time. Collectively, the models have lost more than 2,500 pounds to date. Nearly 400 family and friends of the models along with dozens of past patients attended the event, and many patients shared personal stories of success, inspiration and thanks to the Foothills and Blount Memorial staff.

"I didn't realize how tired I was," said patient Tami Hargis. "Now I'm ready to go every day!" Hargis has lost 114 pounds since her gastric band procedure in October 2009.

The celebration also included a salute to surgeons Mark Colquitt and Jonathan Ray of Foothills Weight Loss Specialists for their services to hundreds of patients. In appreciation, the surgeons were presented with copies of "Live Loved" by Max Lucado.

"By modeling their former fat clothes, our models enjoy the opportunity to display the dramatic amount of weight lost following bariatric surgery," said Colquitt. "The fashion show is a highlight for many of our patients and for our Foothills Weight Loss Specialists team."

Colquitt also pointed out that the testimonials and fashion show serve as an encouragement to other post-surgical patients and those contemplating bariatric surgery.

"The weight loss battle requires constant commitment and a strong positive attitude," Colquitt said. Seeing other people who have succeeded can be the impetus that drives other patients to success."

While cosmetic benefits are a positive side effect, the main goals for weight loss surgery are to improve health, improve quality of life and increase life expectancy. Weight loss surgery helps resolve or improve obesity-related health conditions such as adult-onset diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and certain cancers.

Back