Page 106 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2019

HEALTHY LIVING gastric sleeve HOPE
FOR THE
Biloxi resident loses 88 pounds through surgical weight loss
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos courtesy of Cammie Balius
any of us spend our days dreaming of the future, and for Cammie Balius,
her dreams included a long and happy life where she could watch her daughter
grow up and, hopefully, be around to enjoy her future grandchildren. However, Balius
seemed to always come face to face with the same obstacle: her weight.
“I found myself extremely overweight, weighing 285 pounds at my heaviest,” she recalled. “I knew I needed to be healthy in order to make sure I would always be able
to take care of my family. I wasn’t setting a good example for my teenage daughter, my health was declining, and I began to worry that I might not be around to see my future grandchildren.”
The 44-year-old teacher from Biloxi found herself
looking for a solution – one that would last. “I chose
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss because many of my friends had used them and highly recommended the center,” Balius said. “After meeting Dr. Avara and his team, I felt comfortable with them. Everyone was so friendly and supportive, going out of their way to help me to succeed in reaching my weight loss goal.”
After opting to receive a gastric sleeve, Balius never looked back. She has lost 88 pounds since her surgery with an end goal of losing 100 pounds. “I’m so excited that I’m almost there!” She said. “It was the best choice I have ever made. I am so much more confident and comfortable in my skin now. Whenever I start feeling fat, I go back and look at all my old pictures and think, ‘Wow, I have come a long way and I need to keep it up.’”
The South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center has been helping men and women like Cammie Balius to meet their weight loss goals since their formation in 2000.
ABOVE LEFT: CAMMIE BALIUS
before her weight loss.
ABOVE RIGHT: BALIUS lost 88 pounds after surgery from South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss.
Founded by South Mississippi Surgeons (SMS), they have been providing the Coast with quality surgical care for over 30 years.
To learn more about weight loss surgery, visit their website at smsurgicalweightloss.com, where you can register to receive a free information session.
Futu
DR. WILLIAM AVARA, III DR. JASON PAYNE DR. JOHN HALL
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center
1124 Oakleigh Road, Ocean Springs 228.872.7277 • www.smsurgicalweightloss.com
106 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • November 2019
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