Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America

President

I have been married for 33 year to my wife Debi and we have four children and four grandchildren and another on the way. I own a marketing firm Mountain View Advertising with a focus on publishing community magazines. I have always been an active in government on local, state and federal issues. Advocacy for obesity has been a passion of mine since being denied weight loss surgery in 2005.

After struggling with my weight for 25 years I am the typical yo-yo dieter. I have lost hundreds of pounds with success but never was able to keep the weight off. In fact every diet I followed brought on extra weight to my highest weight at 409 lb. When I first decided to have weight loss surgery I never thought that with all the illnesses I had that my insurance would deny me. At the time like many I was confused but determined to appeal the denial. The appeal process as a morbid obese person is one of the most difficult processes I have ever experience. In the end I was denied. I studied why and how insurance companies that you have vested your whole life paying into, could deny you a life saving surgery. The simple answer, State Government allows them not only to deny the surgery but if you paid for it yourself and there were any complications they would not pay for anything. This is what sparked my advocacy for obesity. I could of paid for the surgery myself but I couldn’t risk the future of my family if I had any major complications. With my experience in government I decided to start my own local coalition. I became a member of the Obesity Action Coalition and used the information it supplied as my guide. I was fortunate to attend the Walk of Washington Walk from Obesity where 2500 people walked on the Washington DC Mall to demonstrate to Washington the need to address the needs of people that are affected by obesity. In time I was nominated to become a board member of the Obesity Action Coalition. From 2006 to 2010 with the help of the OAC I have had legislation sponsored by my political representatives in the Utah State Legislature. We have been successful winning small battles but still have a long way to go to help both legislators and insurance companies understand that weight loss surgery will benefit the State and Employers, not to mention the many lives it will save and help medically.My decision came in November of 2009 that I no longer wanted to live the way I was with high blood pressure, pre diabetes, edema, gerd, and all the medications related to my weight. I decide to proceed and with the generosity of my surgeon set a surgery date of January 22nd 2010. So to date at this writing I have lost 145 lb. ran my first 5k and plan to see other goals of my new lifestyle made possible by weight loss surgery.

Now as a weight loss surgery post operative patient I have even a deeper passion to help others. I will always remain active in advocacy to hope someday that everyone that has health insurance should never be denied surgery. I will always continue to advocate that obesity is a disease. This will require me to continue my activity of being involved with government. However I want join the hundreds of thousands of weight loss surgery patients to join the voice that I believe the WLSFA will have in the coming years.
What a privilege to join with up with all my WLS brothers and sisters and help others!

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