A one-of-a-kind program – that hundreds of Edmontonians undergo every year - is helping a local mother overcome a long-term struggle with her weight.
Tammy King, 39, is going through a specialized program to prepare for a surgery she hopes will improve her lifestyle.
“I’ve struggled with my weight for quite a few years, and everything I’ve pretty much tried hasn’t worked,” King said.
The mother of three weighs 300 pounds, and is considered medically obese.
“I’m a little embarrassed sometimes, so I don’t want to be around too many people sometimes,” King said.
For a year, she prepared for bariatric surgery as part of the Bariatric Program in Edmonton – with a series of classes aimed at preparing her for a lifestyle overhaul.
She covered topics such as portion control, nutrition and mental health; King said what she has learned so far, has already had a major impact on her frame of mind.
“One of the classes, my all-time favourite, was called mindful eating,” King said. “I never realized that you don’t pay attention to what you eat.
“Especially with three kids and making lunches, you just pop something in your mouth, you’re not mindful of it.”
Her motivation for the surgery is the chance to have a more active life, just like she did when she was at a healthier weight.
King’s story is one of many Dr. Arya Sharma sees in the program he created – as Research Chair of Obesity, a one-of-a-kind position in Canada.
Dr. Sharma said Canadians are growing at high rate – he said 6 million are considered obese, and 1 million considered severely obese, which can lead to a number of medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Despite the numbers, Dr. Sharma said the conditions need to be dealt with differently.
“Yet, we tell people to eat less and move more,” Dr. Sharma said. “Which is about as effective as taking someone who has depression and saying ‘You know, what you need is to cheer up’.”
However, Sharma said access to bariatric care in Canada is limited, and hampered by lengthy wait times – research has shown only .1 percent of people who are eligible are undergoing the procedure.
Plus, he said treating obesity requires lifelong management, which is why he created the program that offers a wide range of treatment before and after surgery.
“You need the psychologist, you need the occupational therapist, you need the exercise person,” Dr. Sharma said, adding success rates are higher than 80 percent, and two years post-surgery the average patient has lost about 25 percent from their starting weight.
Before the surgery, Tammy said going through the program has been one of the most challenging things she’s ever done – she considered quitting at one point, but pushed ahead, and ahead of her gastric bypass, is looking forward to her new life.
“I see myself either in my rollerblades or running that marathon,” King said. “I just can’t wait to feel normal.”
With files from Carmen Leibel
