Testimonial from the Volpe Family 2015

Our journey began with our daughter, AnnMarie. She was overly frustrated with her weight and wanted to do something to end the on-going struggle once and for all. So she began researching….

At age 14, AnnMarie expressed to us her aspiration for a gastric surgery. Our first reaction was “NO WAY!” AnnMarie continued to gain weight. She was unrelenting in her desire for the extra support that gastric surgery would offer. The more she talked, the more we researched. It seemed that vertical sleeve gastrectomy was helping many people achieve their weight loss goals. This seemed to be just the tool she needed….But who would be willing to perform surgery on a 14 year old? She found the name of a doctor online. There was a testimonial from a young adult (just one year older than she) on the website…so we made the call to Dr. Abkin.

The education and support we received from the very first phone call was amazing. AnnMarie had her surgery at the age of 15 and thrived from it. My husband and I were so thrilled, we decided to go forward with VSG surgery as well. Our household is now healthier and happier than ever. We make better food choices, obtained normal blood pressure and cholesterol, and are down about 300 pounds collectively. Moreover, 5 of our friends have seen our success and have also had the surgery. We have our own little support group.

One year post surgery, we booked a Hawaiian cruise… a trip that would not have been possible one year earlier. (We would not have fit in the airplane seats!)… Not only were we capable on the long flights, we were able to go on several of the excursions offered on the trip…excursions with weight limits! We flew over an active volcano in a helicopter, went snorkeling, tried zip lining, went tubing in Kuai, and rode bikes down Mount Haleakala! The best part of the trip was my husband and I renewing our vows on a beach in Maui…

Thank you Dr. Abkin for making it all possible! You gave us the tools and support we needed to be successful and healthy, and we cannot wait to see what else the future holds for us. We no longer live to eat….we eat to live (and have fun!)

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