The Magic of Support
During my six years of working for ObesityHelp.com and with our Support Group Leader Program, (SGLP) I am constantly inspired by members that become OH support group leaders. We have leaders that live in small rural areas, large cities, some that recently had surgery, and others that are many years post-op. All of these leaders have the same desire – to provide support in their communities and on ObesityHelp.com.
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from members is: "What are the qualifications to be an OH support group leader?" The most important qualification is that you want to provide support to others. ObesityHelp provides our support group leaders with the education, training, and access to many informative articles and tools.
I’ve asked some of our long-term, active leaders to share what is means to them to be an OH Support Group Leaders. Here is what they’ve shared:
OH support group leader name: Vivian Prouty
OH Username: Vivian Prouty
Link to my OH Blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/lose_it_4_life_SG/tab,0/page,1/#my_groups_main:1
City/State of my support group: Keller, Texas
It is a honor and privilege to be a OH support group leader and to help encourage others in their WLS journeys. I simply love being a OH group leader. It helps me just as much as my group as we discuss the different topics each month. I usually always walk away from the meetings with more knowledge that when it started.
OH support group leader name: Rachel Lebowitz LMSW
OH Username: Rachelena
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/rachelena/
City/State of my support group: East Meadow, NY
To me, being an OH SGL is a unique opportunity to help our community. ObesityHelp is a distinct leader in the realm of bariatric support and to be trained and recognized as a part of OH opens up doors to thousands of people that I, as a support group leader, can help. I get to help people celebrate their success! I get to hold their hand through their struggles and I get the opportunity to be their doorway to new recipes, interesting articles, new foods, healthier products etc. But hands down the best thing about being an OH SGL is that I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play a part, no matter how small, in so many people’s journey.
OH support group leader name: Terri Black
OH Username: TerriB
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/terrib/
OH Group: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/CWLSSG
City/State of your support group: Canton, Ohio
I believe in this journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Our lives are enriched by the joys and benefits of WLS. Being able to provide support to others on this journey, working together, we can become our best.
OH support group leader name: Nancy McLuckie
OH Username: nancysmiles
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/nancysmiles/
City/State of my support group: Warren, MI
Being an OH SGL keeps me “accountable? to myself and other weight loss surgery patients. By helping others, I help myself to stay or get back on track within my weight loss journey. Knowing that others are encountering similar successes and/or roadblocks in their journey, reassures me that we are all human and in this together. I always say that, “if they made a Lap-Band for the brain, we would all be at goal!?
OH support group leader name: Karrie Massotti
OH Username: KarrieMassotti
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/karriemassotti/uzone,blog/action,view/blog_id,272541/
City/State of my support group: Kent WA
Being a support group leader means being able to give back to the community that has given me so much. It also helps me personally with my own WLS success as it keep me accountable to the group. I am often looked to for setting an example. It also keeps in actively participating in this journey instead of being a spectator.
OH support group leader name: Natalie Blaum
OH Username: SWEET TINK
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/tinkerblaum/
City/State of my support group: CHESTER VA
If I can help one person along their journey,and inspire them to be all they can, then I have done my job . I get true fullfillment and joy when I see success and I know that the support and inspiration from myself and others has helped. It’s more than being a leader, it’s about being a sister or brother that has walked the same walk you did … and knowing now, they will live such a great life.
OH support group leader name: Julie Nolan
OH username: JulesN64
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/julien64/
City/State of my support group: I’ve started six support groups in Providence, Rhode Island (1 Post-Op, 1 Day Group, 1 Bandster, 1 Men’s Group, 1- 2+ years post-op, 1 all Spanish speaking)
It means I get to reach out to and help others who are on the same journey as I am. I am helping others make their own journeys more enjoyable and productive. I get to watch people shrink on the outside and GROW on the inside!
OH support group leader name: Lisa Martinez
OH Username: lisadmtz
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/lisadmtz/uzone,blog/action,view/blog_id,198328/
City/State of my support group: Missouri City, TX
For me, being an OH Support Group leader means sharing my experience, strengths,hopes with other WLS peers. As a leader, I want to provide a safe, non judgmental place for members to share their “Wow? moments along with any WLS struggles. It means providing a place to go to for support and to collaborate with others on both the emotional and phsyical aspects of their journey. Personally,it’s about giving back to the WLS community for all that WLS has given me.
OH support group leader name: Paula Warner
OH Username: shoutjoy
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/shoutjoy_group/tab,0/page,1/#my_groups_main:1
City/State of my support group: Coudersport, PA
Being a SGL is a way for me to enjoy the journey of others by watching their transformation from a wallflower to a social butterfly. It also helps me to be accountable for my own success by experiencing the enthusiasm of new patients. Lastly, I enjoy helping others become healthy, happy, and finally free from obesity.
OH support group leader name: Kimberlee MacVicar
OH Username: ebwlsgroup
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/ebwlsgroup_group
City/State of my support group: San Leandro, CA
It adds credibility. It demonstrates that I take my role seriously as a support group leader and have made the commitment to our members to receive training to more thoroughly meet their needs within a support group.
OH support group leader name: Heather Marlowe
OH Username: Hunniebear Name: Heather Hunnie
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/hunniebear/
My group name is SCALE~ Second Chance At Life Everyday
My OH group: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/SCALE/
City/State of your support group: Sayville, NY
To me, being an OH SGL means paying it forward to our community and helping others achieve the happiness with which I have been blessed. This journey has been so amazing for me and it is so rewarding to watch others experience similar transformations!
OH support group leader name: Terry Row
OH Username: Terryrow61
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/clessofme
City and State o my support group: Orange, CA
Being a support group leader means the world to me and makes me accountable and responsible for my own actions which keeps me honest relative within a healthy WLS lifestyle; and my goal of helping and inspiring others to be successful in being less of what we are and more of what we want to be. My support group members are my life support because they come to every meeting where we share questions, opinions, ideas, thoughts, knowledge and experience with each other relative to pre and post-op weight loss surgery (WLS). Our meeting environment is warm and nonjudgmental where members feel free to discuss and talk about any and all concerns. We learn from each other and I thoroughly love my support group members!
OH support group leader name: Nancy Buck
OH Username: Sunray
Link to my OH blog: http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/sunray/
City/State of my support group: Sacramento CA
The members of OH have always been here for me with answers, encouragement and advice. I became an OH SGL so I can ‘pass forward’ what I have learned and help others as I was helped on my journey.
If you’d like to obtain information and apply to our OH Support Group Leader Program, please complete an application at: http://www.obesityhelp.com/register/v,1/regPg,sg_leader/
