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“Before I gained weight I had always been athletic, but it got to the point where I could not run at all. A mile would have been a marathon for me.”
The Bogota native knew he had to do something to turn his life around, which led him to the Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery at The Valley Hospital. The Center focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to bariatric surgery, offering patients personalized surgical options and medical and support services to assist them in improving their health. Dr. Melissa Bagloo, Director of the Center, determined Albert would be a good candidate for sleeve gastrectomy, a laparoscopic procedure that removes removing approximately 75-80 percent of the stomach. Since the procedure in April 2012, he has lost 140 pounds and runs two miles several times a week.
Seeing how life changing the surgery was for Albert, his brother Kenneth, age 26 and father Jose, age 51, both with weight and medical issues, decided to undergo the same procedure with Dr. Bagloo in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In total, the family has lost more than 320 pounds. The Veronas receive ongoing nutritional education and counseling through the Center.
“Every precaution is taken to accommodate our patient's needs and provide options that will help each patient achieve and maintain successful weight loss,” explains Dr. Bagloo. “The Verona family was motivated to moving forward with surgery and changing their lifestyle habits to achieve excellent success after their procedure. I am very proud of their dedication.”
For Jose, the surgery has turned his life around. “My life has changed for the better in every way. The way I was going, I wasn’t going to last five years. Now I can enjoy being healthy.”
Learn more about the Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery at The Valley Hospital here. Free informational sessions and personalized consultations are offered.
