Page 56 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2018

HEALTHY LIVING gastric sleeve Living
HIS BEST
Life
Long Beach native improves his quality of life thanks to South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster Fphotos courtesy of Donnie Roberson
or many, career goals and personal aspirations can be a driving force
for change. In the case of Donnie Roberson, a 49-year-old native of
Long Beach, the urge to live his best life spurred him to do all that he could to improve his
health and overall quality of life.
When Roberson first began his journey to better
health, he was on disability and struggled with his confidence and a variety of medical issues. “At that time I was borderline diabetic,” he recalled. “I had high blood pressure, shortness of breath, back pain, insomnia, was on a CPAP machine at night, had night sweats and even had to have both my knees replaced.”
Roberson knew that getting back to a healthy weight would solve many of his issues, and ultimately sought
DONNIE ROBERSON after losing over 150 pounds.
the help of South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss. Through word of mouth, he discovered Dr. Avara who came highly recommended by many.
With the help of Dr. Avara, Roberson opted to receive a gastric sleeve and officially began his transition to better health. “Along with the surgery, the team at South Mississippi Weight Loss helped me to make important lifestyle changes, like eating right and exercising,” Roberson said. “It took a lot of effort in the beginning, but it became easier on down the line.”
Since receiving his gastric sleeve, Roberson has lost a total of 153 pounds. “The effects of the surgery have
56 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • February 2018
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