FRESH BEGINNINGS SUPPORT GROUP

Are you ready to move on? Join a group of weight loss trendsetters who have already taken that step and shed a hundred extra pounds. Sit down with us and chat a while. You'll find that a change in how you eat along with exercise brings great results.

However, if you've tried everything and nothing has worked for you, visit our web site at www.uab.edu/obesitysurgery.You will find a different perspective to weight loss through the Laparoscopic Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass operation. It has the best rating in terms of long-term weight loss!

As a service to our patients and the community, we provide a free informal monthly support group for patients who have undergone or who are considering gastric bypass surgery for severe obesity. This program provides education and shared personal experience to help patients achieve the full benefit in adjusting to their surgery. All patients are encouraged to attend if possible.

SCHEDULE FOR GASTRIC BYPASS SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS
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Fresh Beginnings Support Group Birmingham
UAB Hospital Bariatric Support Group 2012 Schedule

All “Fresh Beginnings” meetings at UAB Hospital will be held in the West Pavilion Conference Center Room E, unless listed on the schedule.

NO MEETINGS MAY and DECEMBER 2012 in Birmingham.
Please consider the weather before traveling to a meeting.
If the meetings are cancelled due to bad weather, a greeting will be left on the telephone number 205-996-6984.

January 30, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Lindsey Lee Westbrook Clinical Dietician EatRight Program Topic: Nutrition for the New Year

February 27, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Dr. Richard Stahl Director of Bariatric Surgery, University of Alabama Hospital and Kirklin Clinic Topic: Back-On-Track

March 26, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Patient Panel Panel Discussion Topic: My Weight loss Journey: The Psychological Aspect

April 30, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Dr. Josh Long Minimally Invasive Fellow UAB Bariatric Surgery Topic: Dumping Syndrome: What Is This?

May 2012 NO MEETING!

June 25, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Dana Chewitz Bariatric Advantage Topic: Supplements For the Weight loss Surgery Patient

July 30, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Kelly Whitten, RN Coordinator Kirklin Clinic Topic: Food Addictions

August 27, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Dr. Jayleen Grams Bariatric Surgeon UAB Hospital and Kirklin Clinic Topic: Transferring Addictions

September 24, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Nursing Staff of 7 North University of Alabama Hospital Topic: Care of the Bariatric Surgery Patient (What to expect during your admission)

October 29, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Speaker: Deborah Thedford Bariatric Surgery Coordinator, UAB Hospital Topic: The Importance of Support

November 26, 2012 @ 6:30 PM Fashion, Award and Benefit Event Margaret Cameron Spain Auditorium (Please call if you would like to participate by modeling and share your successes)

NO MEETING IN MAY OR DECEMBER 2012 in Birmingham at UAB Hospital We always meet the last Monday of the month, except May and December. You are welcome to bring friends, family or co workers to the meeting. We ask that everyone sign in when attending the meetings. View and print the Birmingham and Montgomery support group schedules for 2012 in PDF format.

At each meeting we will have an exercise tip for the month presented by
Brian King, PT
Physical Therapy Department UAB Hospital
For information on Pool Program and Post Surgical Exercise call 205-934-1163.

You are welcome to attend the Free Bariatric Community Seminars held the second Thursday of each month in the West Pavilion Board Room, beginning at 6PM (attendance will count as one support group meeting if attended before surgery). The seminars are open to the public. Come and learn more about the different operations to treat obesity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Stahl, M.D. or Jayleen Grams, M.D. at 205-975-3000
Deborah Thedford, R.N., Coordinator at 205-996-6984, email: dthedfor@uabmc.edu
Kara Snively, R.N. at 205-975-3000
Jaime Stuteville, Patient Support Specialist at 205-975-3000

Please Register/Sign Up
Call Deborah at 205-996-6984, or email Deborah at:
dthedfor@uabmc.edu

Class will not be held only if there are participants signed up!
You must register by 10 AM on the day of the class.

UAB Hospital has retained “full approval” of reaccreditation and will remain officially recognized as an
“American College of Surgeons Level 1 Bariatric Center of Excellence”, as of December 8, 2009.

 

Fresh Beginnings Support Group-Montgomery, Alabama You are invited to attend the UAB Fresh Beginnings support group in Montgomery, Alabama the third Thursday of each month at 6 PM. Baptist Hospital South Montgomery Cardiovascular Institute 2119 East South Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36116 (Auditorium in the Basement) Call Jackie Byrd at 334-551-2010, 1-888-465-0765 (toll free), or email Jackie at jbyrd@uabmontgomery.com or Rebecca Hollingsworth at Rossworth1727@yahoo.com (You will be given credit for pre-op visits only if a staff member from UAB Hospital is present at the meetings attended before your surgery.) We invite all of our patients in this area to attend. There are more than 300 patients in this area. Remember your commitments when you began the process to have your weight loss surgery (WLS), life style changes, keeping your follow up doctors’ appointments and joining a support group, just to name a few. Are you keeping your commitments? We pledge to keep ours! Staff from UAB Hospital will attend the meetings in Montgomery at least quarterly. We want to make sure that you receive credit for attending the support group meetings, so please be sure to sign in when you attend. The sign in sheet is your proof that you attended the meetings. Please print legible and include your email address. THERE WILL NOT BE A MONTGOMERY MEETING IN JANUARY, MAY, JULY OR NOVEMBER 2012! You are welcome to attend the other scheduled meetings. Please check the weather forecast before traveling to the meetings. If the weather is inclement, we will cancel the meeting. Your safety is important to us! Please call 205-996-6984 if you have questions. Click Here to view/download Baptist Hospital Map Meet in Auditorium in the Basement Agenda Fresh Beginnings Support Group Montgomery, Alabama January 2012 NO MEETING! February 16, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Panel Discussion Members Topic: Your Successes!!! March 15, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Dr. Richard Stahl Director of Bariatric Surgery Services University of Alabama Hospital and Kirklin Clinic Topic: Myths of Weight loss Surgery April 19, 2012 @ 6 PM Moderator: Jackie Byrd Administrative Assistant Topic: Recipe Exchange (Bring your favorite recipe to share. Please make copies to exchange. You may bring a sample to share with the group.) May 2012 NO MEETING!!! JUNE 21, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Deborah Thedford RN Bariatric Coordinator Topic: The Importance of Support July 2012 No Meeting!!! August 16, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Kelly Whitten, RN Coordinator Infection Disease Kirklin Clinic Topic: Food Addictions September 20, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Dr. Jayleen Grams Bariatric Surgeon University Hospital and Kirklin Clinic Topic: Keeping Your Commitments October 18, 2012 @ 6 PM Speaker: Dr. Karl Kirkland, Psychologist University of Alabama and Baptist Hospital, Montgomery Alabama Topic: “Conscious vs. Unconscious Eating” NO MEETING in NOVEMBER! Happy Thanksgiving! December 20, 2012 @ 6 PM Holiday Celebration/ Pot Luck Picture Sharing Success!   UAB Montgomery Bariatric Support Group Baptist Hospital South Jackie Byrd 334-551-2010 or contact Deborah Thedford at: dthedfor@uabmc.edu 205-996-6984 Please check weather report for inclement weather watch!!! Speakers' schedules are subject to change without prior notice!!! Please check weather report for inclement weather watch and call the office if you have questions: 205-996-6984 205-934-7877 205-996-5182 Please make sure we have your email address for faster information! Please call the office if questions about meeting dates and cancellations