Pat Baran, R.N., a nurse in the operating room at Auburn Memorial Hospital and her daughter, Sharlene Daugherty, a bus driver for Birnie Bus Service, were overweight for most of their lives. Both tried numerous diets, pills, herbal remedies and weight loss programs, but always found that the weight they lost would soon come right back. Both also required medication for high blood pressure.

That was before bariatric surgery.

Twelve years ago, at 49, Pat underwent weight loss surgery at AMH performed by Dr. Chung Oh. After that, her life changed dramatically. The weight melted off, from 250 pounds down to approximately 150-160, and she no longer needed blood pressure medication. She encouraged her daughter to consider the same surgery, but Sharlene wasn't ready.

“I wanted to get the weight off myself,” she said. “I needed to make the decision on my own.”

After 10 years of watching her blood pressure continue to rise and being unable to lose the excess pounds through dieting, she convinced her doctor to give her the required letter of support. At age 37 and 297 pounds, she scheduled surgery at AMH with Dr. Oh. Within the first two weeks after surgery, her weight dropped 50 pounds.

Today, Sharlene happily maintains her weight at between 160-170 pounds, and she no longer requires blood pressure medication. She says, #“My mother was my support group#” after the surgery, helping her to learn to live with small portion sizes and taking walks together. Both agree that there are no feelings of deprivation; “your body gives you a signal when it's time to stop eating, and you learn to recognize it.”

Both women, healthy and attractive and looking forward to dancing at the weddings of grandchildren and nieces, want to “give back” by helping others who are considering bariatric surgery. The Finger Lakes Weight Loss Program, recently launched at AMH, is giving them that opportunity. The multi-faceted program includes careful and thoughtful preparation to determine if surgery is the best option, as well as extensive follow-up support for those who undergo weight loss surgery. Pat and Sharlene are volunteering their time to offer weekly support meetings for those who are preparing for or recovering from the surgery.

“Our goal is to encourage, support, and help them be successful in attaining their goal,” Pat stated. “We'll share our tricks and our sins.” Sharlene added, “We're the warm and fuzzy part of the program - no lectures, no nagging, just support.”

The Fingerlakes Weight Loss Program, featuring both medical and surgical management of morbid obesity, is tailored for people who are 100 or more pounds over their ideal body weight, who have documented efforts at weight loss through safe methods and an absence of other medical conditions that would make the surgery unsafe. They have obesity-related diseases or problems and are willing to make changes in their eating habits and increase their physical activity as weight loss occurs.

Both Dr. Oh and Dr. Carl Weiss III perform bariatric surgery; Dr. Weiss uses the laparoscopic method while Dr. Oh uses the open method. In either case, surgery takes about two to five hours, and patients are discharged within three to five days after surgery. Normal work schedules may be resumed as early as two weeks after surgery.

More than 90 percent of patients undergoing this surgery reach a weight of within 25 to 50 pounds of their ideal body weight. As with any major surgical procedure, complications can occur.

Beverly Miller is the director of Community Relations and the Hospital Foundation at Auburn Memorial Hospital