CALIFORNIA SUPPORT GROUPS LIST

CALIFORNIA WLS SUPPORT GROUPS This list is a great resource for all of us as ongoing, in person support is SO important to long term WLS success! Please post here to let me know of any changes that are needed as we want to keep this list up to date. I especially need information about any groups that are no longer meeting as well as with any current contact information changes. To be listed here we need: Day/Dates and Frequency of meetings Meeting time Location Sponsor or Facilitator Name Contact person for information… Phone number and/or e-mail *************************************************************** CALIFORNIA SUPPORT GROUPS (listed in alphabetical order by city): ANTELOPE VALLEY Tuesdays, weekly, in Lancaster @ 6:30.  2^nd & 4th Saturdays in Lancaster . 1^st & 3^rd Saturdays in Rosamond. Open to all. Antelope Valley Bariatrics. Click on link to their OH Group page, hosted by Lisa Williams, for more information: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/lisasongbird_group/tab,0/pa ge,1/

ARROYO GRANDE 3rd SATURDAY of the month 12:30pm Central Coast Life Savers Support Group Meeting Open to all. Arroyo Grande Hospital , Annex Building Our original group has been in existence now for 6 years and has slowly branched out to cover two counties. We often provide special guest speakers at our Arroyo Grande group meetings. We've gathered for swimming pool parties and bonfires. All surgery types welcome! Inquiries can be emailed to Karen at [email protected] or to Debbie at [email protected]. Central Coast Life Savors [email protected] CHICO Last Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm. Bariatric Bypass Buddies Support Group The meetings are held at 1520 Esplanade on the corner of 5th and Esplanade. This support group provides pre- and post-operative information and support. It offers speakers, education and a close-knit, emotionally supportive network of people. The group is free and open to anyone thinking about or who has already undergone bariatric surgery at Enloe or elsewhere, and their family and friends. Contact Sareena Smith @ 891-1651 for more information. DAVIS My support group is at UC Davis Medical Center. It it the first Monday of every month at 6:30 PM in the Outpatient Services Building across the street from the Emergency Room. There will be signs pointing the way. All post-ops are welcome regardless of where you had your surgery done. Plus there is now an OH affiliate at Travis AFB. Our meetings are slightly irregular but you could put me on as a contact person. Nancy Shirley 707-374-5229 Must have a military ID card to get on base FAIRFIELD SATURDAYS Please contact Alexis Miller at [email protected] for details. Fairfield/Vacaville/Travis AFB also has a support group meeting twice monthly. Both on base and off base. Contact [email protected] for more details. Group consists primarily of military dependents that have had surgery at DGMC. FOUNTAIN VALLEY First 4 MONDAYS of each month, except Holidays 6:30 – 8:30pm Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center 9920 Talbert Ave,  ground floor next to cafeteria. Facilitated by Diane LeMont, PhD. Call 877-HEALTHY (877-432-5849) for more information. FOUNTAIN VALLEY First 4 THURSDAYS of each month except Holidays 6:30 – 8:30pm 11100 Warner Ave, Suite #112 Facilitated by Diane LeMont, PhD. Call 877-HEALTHY (877-432-5849) for more information. HAWAIIAN GARDENS 21520 Pioneer Blvd 2nd floor Medical building 2 Hawaiian Gardens , Ca. 90716 (800) 936-5545 This is a great support group..it does not matter who did your surgery! Everyone is welcome...Kim Do is our support leader. She is wonderful and very knowledgeable. We meet the second and fourth Tuesday of the month 7:00pm-9:00pm. Open to pre-op or post-op people. Agenda includes sharing and often times there is a guest speaker. HOLLISTER Third Wednesday of the month Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm Where: Community Room ~ next to Pacific Valley Bank, corner of Tres Pinos Rd and Rancho Dr. Group Leader: Lori McClelland e-mail: [email protected] or download a flyer at: www.lorimcclelland.com click on OH Support Group.  LANCASTER Tuesday evening, 6:30 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Master, 725 East Avenue J, Lancaster, CA. Call 661-723-7833 and ask for Liz. LIVERMORE 3rd TUESDAY of each month from 6:00-7:30 pm Kaiser Bariatric Support Group  3000 Las Positas Rd. Conference Room 3 Peer support group for all weight loss surgery patients (pre-op and post-op) and guests; need not be a Kaiser member. No fee. For further information contact: [email protected] or [email protected] MODESTO Modesto WLS Support Group Meeting Tuesdays 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (This event repeats on the last Tuesday of every month.) Location: 1213 Norwegian at the Garden East Apartment Clubhouse Notes: This is a new and exciting meeting in Modesto . It is for anyone who has had WLS or is looking into having surgery or supporting WLS patients. The gate to enter the apartments is about 1/2 block from Coffee. It has a roof over the gate and there will be signs to point the way. Walk straight back and to the right you will see the pool. We meet there in the club house. For more info contact: [email protected] MODESTO Memorial Medical Center Modesto Support Group meets the first Monday of every month 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Sutter Health Education and Conference Center McHenry Village 1700 McHenry Ave., Suite 60B Modesto, CA 95350 For more information contact The Health Center at: (209) 572-7262. Modesto Support Group meets the first Monday of every month at 6:00 p.m. at the Sutter Health Education and Conference Center McHenry Village  1700 McHenry Ave., Suite 60B Modesto, CA 95350  For more information contact The Health Center at: (209) 572-7262. MIRA LOMA 2ND SATURDAY of the month 11am - 1:00pm Fobi Support Group Mira Loma Country Village Sr. Park , Lounge 10350 Country Club Dr. For more information contact Cheryl Chapman at 714-289-0519 MURRIETA 1st MONDAY of the month 6 – 9pm Hosted by Crown Bariatric 25520 Medical Center Dr., behind Rancho Springs Medical Center at the end of the cul-de-sac. For more information please call 1-888-312-7546 NORCO 1st and 3rd SATURDAYS of each month except Holidays 10 – 11:30am Norco Library 3954 Old Hamner Facilitated by Summer Perry, PhD. Call 877-HEALTHY (877-432-5849) for more information. OAKDALE 2nd TUESDAY of each month 7 – 9pm Oak Valley Hospital in the Conference Room For more information contact Sommer Rose-Souza at [email protected]. OAKLAND 3rd Saturday of the month 10:00 am - PostOp 11:30 am - PreOp location Held in the Health Education Center of Samuel Merritt College (next to Alta Bates/Summit Hospital in Oakland ) 400 Hawthorne Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609  Rm 102 or 203 (There will be a flyer on the notice board as you walk in) http://www.altabates.com/clinical/bariatricintro.html OCEANSIDE (N. San Diego County) 2nd WEDNESDAY of each month 7:00pm (back on track meeting at 6:45, for post ops 1 year or more out who need help) Hosted by Pacific Bariatric Tri-City Medical center (in basement classroom) Group is sponsored through Pacific Bariatric, but all are welcomed so please do attend. Contact: Serene Edwards at [email protected]. ORCUTT 2nd MONDAY of the month 6:30pm Central Coast Life Savers Support Group Meeting Open to all. Mid-State Bank Our original group has been in existence now for 6 years and has slowly branched out to cover two counties. We've gathered for swimming pool parties and bonfires- all surgery types welcome! Inquiries can be emailed to Karen at [email protected] or to Debbie at [email protected]. Central Coast Life Savors [email protected] PALMDALE TUESDAY evenings @ 7pm Donna Redmayne will facilitate the Tuesday meetings. The Tuesday meetings are in Suite 2-A. 4th SATURDAY of the month @ 10am Darrol Houser will be facilitating the Saturday meetings. The Saturday meetings are @ office at  43845 10th Street West, Lancaster, in Suite 2-E. ADDRESS:  43845 N. 10th Street West(across the street from Community Hospital ). If anyone needs info, they can call me or Liz at 661-723-7833. REDDING 2nd Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 3rd Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. For meeting locations and more information call us at 530-247-1757 or e-mail [email protected]. All are welcome. RED BLUFF Red Bluff Duodenal Switch Group Meetings Modular Building across from the Coyne Educational Center 2550 Sister Columba Dr. Red Bluff, CA. For more information please contact us at 800-816-6647. Red Bluff Group Meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month. REDLANDS 1st TUESDAY of the month 6:30 - 9pm Crown Bariatric Surgical Group Support Group Meeting 1711 Plum Lane For more information please call 1-888-312-7546 RICHMOND Richmond, Kaiser 901 Nevin Building A, 2nd floor, conference room A1 - A2 Richmond, CA 6:00pm - 7:30pm Pre & Post Op: Apr 9 and 23, May 7, June 11, June 25 POST OP ONLY: Apr 16, May 14, June 18 RIVERSIDE 2nd Thursday of the month 6:00pm Kaiser WLS Support Group Facilitator Andy Woodward Van Buren Medical Facility 3951 Van Buren Ave. Riverside, CA 92503 Call 951-352-0292 for more information Open to Kaiser Patients only. ROSEVILLE 2nd Saturday each month 3pm to 5pm Sutter Roseville Medical Center One Medical Plaza 2nd Floor, conference rooms A/B Open to anyone and everyone; all surgeries, pre-op, post-op, friends, family members, etc. Contact information: http://www.salsa.md/Education.html SACRAMENTO Sac On Track Meetings are held the fourth Saturday of the month at 10:30 following the LAPSF meeting. A Support Group for Bariatric Surgery Patients in the Greater Sacramento Area. Open to pre and post-ops alike. Doubletree Hotel 2001 Point West Way Sacramento, CA email nursemary @comcast.net for more information or visit our website at www.sacontrack.com SACRAMENTO Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, Surgical Weight Loss Program Meetings are held the Third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to all patients and their families and friends. A Clothes Closet is offered to all. Meeting is actually held in the Multipurpose Room at Bruceville Terrace Skilled Nursing Facility on campus of Methodist Hospital : 8151 Bruceville Road Sacramento, CA 95823  For more information, contact Terri Smith, Bariatric Coordinator at 916.423.5909 or go to www.slimlifecenter.com. SACRAMENTO Sacramento Duodenal Switch Meetings Mercy General Hospital Campus Greenhouse A&B inside the cafeteria. Sacramento , Ca. 95819 For more information please contact us at 800-816-6647. Sacramento Meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. SAN BERNARDINO 4th TUESDAY of the month (Exception: December 11, 2007) 6:30pm in the San Rafael room at St. Bernadine’s Medical Center, 2101 N. Waterman Ave, corner of Waterman and Highland Ave. Hosted by Western Bariatrics, open to all. Phone Western Bariatrics at 909-475-5040 for more information. SAN BERNARDINO SATURDAYS, monthly Inland Empire Loser’s Support Group Meeting dates for 2008: April 19, May 17^th, June 14^th, July 12^th, August 9^th, September 6^th, October 4^th, November 1^st and December 27^th.   10:00am in the San Rafeal Room at St. Bernardine's Medical Center 2101 N Waterman Ave. (corner of Waterman and Highland), San Bernardino 92404. Official OH Chapter for the Inland Empire , open to all. Luana Ball and Steve Jacobsen - co-facilitators. For more information and to join this group go to our OH Group site: http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/sjacobsen53_group/welcome/ Or e-mail Steve at [email protected] for more informaton. SAN DIEGO/IMPERIAL VALLEY/OCEANSIDE SHARP MEMORIAL BARIATRIC PROGRAM SUPPORT GROUPS: IMPERIAL VALLEY , 2^nd Tuesday of every other month. May, July, September and November 2008 Holiday Inn Express-El Centro: 6:00pm. OCEANSIDE , 2nd Thursday of every month. Best Western-3240 Mission Avenue-6:00pm SAN DIEGO , 1^st Monday of every month: General Support Group. Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, Rehabilitation Building Pain Rooms E & F-6:30pm  SAN DIEGO , 2^nd Monday of every month: Nutritional Support Group Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, Rehabilitation Building Pain Rooms E & F-6:30pm SAN DIEGO , 3^rd Monday of every month: Prevention & Relapse Support Group. Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus, Rehabilitation Building Pain Rooms E & F-6:30pm All groups are open to all. Contact Thomas Hayes at 858-939-3010 for more information. SAN DIEGO/LA JOLLA 2nd Tuesday of the month 7-8:30pm Wittgrove Bariatric Scripps Hospital, La Jolla in the Schaetzel Center 9888 Genessee Ave. La Jolla, CA Guests Welcome For questions regarding the group, please contact Wittgrove Bariatric at (800) 342-3944. SAN LUIS OBISPO 2nd SATURDAY of the month 1:00pm Central Coast Life Savers Support Group Meeting Open to all. Sierra Vista Hospital Auditorium Our original group has been in existence now for 6 years and has slowly branched out to cover two counties. We've gathered for swimming pool parties and bonfires- all surgery types welcome! Inquiries can be emailed to Karen at [email protected] or to Debbie at [email protected]. Central Coast Life Savors [email protected] SAN LUIS OBISPO There is a brand new meeting starting in San Luis Obispo . Where: Coast National bank Community Room 500 Marsh San Luis Obispo When: 4th Tuesday of the month from 6-8pm This group is being run by a trained support leader. They will be topic oriented meetings, questions and answer sessions, great handouts and lots of support. E-mail [email protected] for more information. SANTA ANA Mondays 6 - 7:30pm Hosted by Chapman/Coastal Center for Obesity Chapman Medical Center Hospital on Chapman near Hwy 55 in Orange, CA, in the Board Room. This support group meeting is directed mostly to post-op people who are a year out or have had 100 pounds of weight loss or more, but all are welcomed and some pre-ops do attend. For more information and for some additional weight loss bariatric surgery support, check out my website at http://FreedomExpress.net/WLSsupport. The support group also now has its very own website: http://wlbss.com. WLBSS stands for Weight Loss Bariatric Surgery Support SANTA ANA Thursdays 6 - 7:30pm Hosted by Chapman/Coastal Center for Obesity Western Medical Center Hospital, 1001 N. Tustin Ave., the Basement, Conference Room 4 Thursday night support group meeting is aimed at pre-op, post-op under 100 pounds of weight loss and people just seeking information. For more information and for some additional weight loss bariatric surgery support, check out the website at FreedomExpress.net/WLSsupport. SANTA CLARITA 2nd Tuesday of every month 6:30-8pm Greenhouse Cafe on  Bouquet Canyon Road Saugus,  CA. Open to All….. Just show up! Contact Cindy K for more information: 661-253-2900 (work) SANTA CRUZ This Santa Cruz area Yahoo group is for all weight loss surgery patients (pre or post-op) who wish to have a positive place to develop supportive relationships with peers in the Santa Cruz area, for getting together for discussions, walks or just for fun. We have monthly get togethers on the first Sunday of the month. For more information join the group at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SantaCruzWLS Email [email protected] for an invitation to join. TORRANCE Saturday – (Every other Saturday… next meeting 6/16) 11:00 am South Bay Bariatric Surgery Support Group Open to pre and post op, as well as their significant others. All surgery types, all doctors. For more information please contact Dr. Marcy Rosenzweig Leavitt at [email protected] for complete information and directions. TURLOCK 1st Tuesday of the month @ Emanuel Hospital in Turlock Medesto. Esther L Warda – Chapter Leader Turlock Bariatrics is the contact person for this group and can be emailed at [email protected] www.turlockbariatrics.com 209-669-1933 TUSTIN 1st and 2nd TUESDAYS of the month 7:00pm Lisa P’s OC Weight Loss Support Group Starbuck’s, 17245 17th St Please join us! This will be a negative-free zone, where all can share, support and empower one another in regards to WL issues. For more information contact Lisa P at [email protected]. TUSTIN St. Pauls Episcopal Church 1221 Wass St., Tustin, CA 92780  Fourth Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. room C If anyone has any question about either meeting please contact Cheryl Chapman (714) 289-0519) VICTORVILLE All meeting times are from 6:30 - 9pm Located at: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 9750 Keypoint Ave. Hesperia, CA 92345 PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH UNLESS THE MONDAY FALLS ON A HOLIDAY Hosted by Crown Bariatric, open to all. Feel free to bring a friend or family member to our meetings, but no small children please. If you have any questions regarding the support group please contact: Mo or Michelle at (888) 312-7546, (909) 229-0266 or (951) 736-0696 Phone number for directions only please (760) 244-7674. VISALIA 2nd FRIDAY of the month 7pm – 9pm Central Valley Obesity Surgery Support Group Obesity Help Chapter Meeting LOCATION PENDING Open to pre and post op along with their significant others. All surgery types, all doctors. For more information contact Darlene at [email protected] VISALIA 2nd FRIDAY of the month 7pm – 9pm South Valley Bariatric Surgery Support Group Obesity Help Chapter Meeting Kaweah Rehab Center, 840 S. Akers (in the Bear Room) Open to pre and post op along with their significant others. All surgery types, all doctors. For more information contact Jenn at [email protected] WEST COVINA 1st and 3rd MONDAYS of the month 6 – 7pm Kaiser Permanente Building 1502 West Covina Parkway Room 4 Open to pre and post-op patients. Guests and non-Kaiser members welcome! For more information call 851-5263. WOODLAND HILLS Make It A Lifestyle Support Group For 2008 we will be meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month, barring any emergencies or necessary changes. If there are you will be notified via e-mail. Some Saturday meetings may precede the Tuesday meeting. Also note August will be third week due to the Mediterranean Cruise. Tuesdays: April 22; May 20 (not fourth Tuesday!); June 24; July 22; August 26; September 30 (not fourth Tuesday!); October 28; November 25; December 16 (not fourth Tuesday. Saturdays: April 26 - Body Shop/make-up; May 10; No Saturday meeting in June; July 12; August 16; September 6; October 4; November 22; December 6 As always the Tuesday meetings are 7pm, Saturdays are 10am. Meetings are held at 6024 El Canon Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA. 91367. SPECIAL ONE DAY AND WEEKEND SEMINARS: Universal City ; July 26/27: Oxnard; November 1: Studio City To learn more go to makeitalifestyle.com. E-mail Leann at [email protected] or Janice at [email protected] for information and directions. ***************************************************************

 

WOW! whats up with OH. That post sucks. Why are they all just cramp together.  How are we suppose to know where they start and finish.

L

Hey honey, I'm not sure what is up with your browser but this post is displaying fine on my computer... WhatEVER, huh? Love you my sweet   !!!!!

Then  YOU need to come and fix it, cause its yucky

Sending lots of love to you and D

Lu

Well, that CAN be arranged ya know!      

Well since next  week is up in the air right now.  No clue if we are going to be home or what

What day would be good for you?

Love ya

worked out for me i can read it all clearly.  Thanks for this, i am having surgery Monday and hubby is in 10 days after me. We been looking for groups that are closer to us for support. Brenda

Hi Steve, I attend this one and it's a great group, they meet the third Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm at the Kaiser Hospital room 8A on the 8th floor, the address is 411 n. Lakeview Ave. the meeting leader is Joan Blackford and her e-mail address is [email protected]. I hope this helps someone.

Hey Lisa! What city is this meeting located in? Thanks, Steve

Sorry about that it's Anaheim. Thank you!