The Weight Management and Surgery Program at Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth Marks Its Second Anniversary and Recognizes Patients at a Special Celebration

Contact: Mary Johnson, 817-922-7088 or Sunny Drenik, 817-922-7100
Email: Maryjohn@baylorhealth.edu or Sunnydr@baylorhealth.edu

(FORT WORTH, Texas, April 12, 2007) - Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth announced today that they will celebrate the second anniversary of their Weight Management and Surgery Program. The celebration for program patients and their families will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at The Gladney Center, 6300 John Ryan Drive, Fort Worth.

Bariatric surgery, which is commonly referred to as weight loss surgery, is for people who have tried to lose weight by other means but are simply unable to maintain long-term weight loss. Since the program's inception, more than 250 weight loss surgeries have been performed. The Weight Management and Surgery team provides support before, during and after surgery. The program includes a pre-surgery informational seminar, as well as support groups and lifestyle counseling to help individuals adjust to nutritional and emotional issues after surgery.

In April 2005, 34-year-old David Potts had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery at Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth. He has lost 152 pounds. "I weighed 305 pounds, was diabetic, and had high blood pressure. My dad passed away from heart failure at the age of 49, and that finally motivated me to try and lose weight," says Potts. "I tried diet and exercise programs for a year, with no success. As soon as I attended the seminar, I felt much more comfortable with the idea of weight loss surgery. Now I am active, healthy and able to enjoy life."

"We are so proud of the growth our program has experienced, and most importantly, the number of patients we have been able to help, over the past two years," said Gregory Barnes, M.D., medical director of the Weight Management and Surgery Program at Baylor Southwest. "We look forward to continued growth and success in our efforts to conquer the obesity epidemic that is affecting so many in our community."

The Weight Management and Surgery Program at Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth is a comprehensive program that can lead to successful weight loss and an improved quality of life. The program includes a 12-week weight loss curriculum comprised of education, counseling and support groups and is designed to help patients make the necessary lifestyle changes to achieve a healthy weight. A multidisciplinary team including physicians on the medical staff, a dietitian, psychologist, social worker and exercise specialist work together with patients to help them achieve their goals. If patients have tried to lose weight numerous times by other means and have been unsuccessful, they may be candidates for weight loss surgery.

For more information about the Weight Management and Surgery Program at Baylor Medical Center at Southwest Fort Worth, please call 817-370-5999.

The not-for-profit Baylor All Saints Medical Centers serve more than 100,000 people annually through two hospitals, numerous primary care physician centers and practices, a rehabilitation and fitness center, and a variety of medical specialties. Programs of excellence in cardiology, transplantation, neurosciences, oncology and women's services form the heart of the hospitals' services. All Saints joined Baylor Health Care System in January 2002. All Saints Health Foundation, a separately incorporated not-for-profit organization, raises and manages charitable funds to support Baylor All Saints Medical Centers. For fiscal year 2006, Baylor Health Care System reported $406 million in community benefit to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System's subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor All Saints Medical Centers or Baylor Health Care System.