“Many individuals suffer from being overweight and have health problems because of it, but have nowhere to turn,” says Melanie Wildman, patient and CEO of Weight Loss Forever. “We give them a place to go and provide the support they need, which is important because research shows patients with good support lose 20 to 30 per cent more weight. What’s so great about the company is that all of our facilitators have had the procedure and everyone is so passionate and dedicated to helping others change their lives too.”
LORNA’S STORY
thing she would fail at and it wasn’t until she found out from her husband (radio personality Scott Nicholls) that a colleague had lost a lot of weight by getting sleeved, that she decided to contact Weight Loss Forever. Even after she was sleeved last October and saw the weight coming off, Lorna still worried she would fail. When the second month rolled by and she was still losing weight without struggling or feeling hungry, she knew she’d finally found a permanent solution. She’s lost over 80 pounds since being sleeved and her success has rubbed off on her family—her mom, dad and brother have lost nearly 100 pounds combined.
Once patients lose unwanted weight, excess skin may become an issue. According to Dr. Zachary Gerut, one of New York’s leading reconstructive plastic surgeons, patients with excess skin can experience health problems. He says, “no one can predict who will need plastic surgery after weight loss and it seems many doctors don’t discuss it with patients.”
“This journey has changed my entire family and I’ve learned so much,” says Lorna. “It’s given me confidence and selfesteem—I’ve never had that before. I’m proud of who I am.”
Wildman says about a third of surgery patients have a need for plastic surgery, but there are no surgeons in western Canada who specialize in reconstructive surgery after weight loss. “We work with Dr. Rodas at our state-of-the-art hospital,” Wildman says. “He has over 17 years’ experience and specializes in reconstructive surgery and body contouring after weight loss. He’s one of the very few plastic surgeons in the world who can do this type of work and we’re thrilled to offer that in addition to elective cosmetic procedures for patients who haven’t had weight issues.”
Even as a little girl, Lorna Woroniuk blamed herself for being overweight; she couldn’t understand why she was different from her friends. As she progressed through school, she tried dieting and exercising. When that didn’t work, desperation turned her to selective bulimia. When that failed, her self-esteem regressed and she put up with abuse for years.
Nominated for three Sabex awards this year—Marketing, Fastest Growth and Small Business of the Year—the company’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed. Says local Saskatoon family physician, Dr. Carl le Roux: “I’m very impressed with the postoperative care and support provided by Weight Loss Forever.”
“I knew I was never going to be the pretty one, so I drank a lot and tried to fit in that way,” says Lorna. “I projected one person, but that’s not how I felt and I don’t think anybody really knew that. Even my parents didn’t know what I struggled with because if I said it out loud, I had to face it. And I just didn’t want to face it.”
“All of our facilitators have had the procedure and everyone is so passionate and dedicated to helping others change their lives too.”
Going through depression, Lorna hit her lowest point and her highest weight last year when she accepted that she was going to have health issues and probably die young. When she heard about Weight Loss Forever, she thought it was another
“This journey has changed my entire family and I’ve learned so much,” says Lorna. “It’s given me confidence and self-esteem—I’ve never had that before. I’m proud of who I am.”