Manitoba WLS Program made the news

Did anybody else catch the newsclip on the CTV 6:00 news.? If you missed it I'm sure it will be repeated at 11:30 and tomorrow at noon.

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20111215/wpg _gastric_bypass_111215/20111215/?hub=WinnipegHome

iT IS ABOUT TIME !!!!!!!!!!!

I hope they do better than Alberta with the # of surgeries a year.  That is why we travel south.

Thanks for posting that, Lori. I watch a different channel & wouldn't have seen this otherwise. It figures they would announce that they're making a decision in the next few weeks about full funding for the program, since I booked my surgery in Mexico two days ago!  I suspect that even if they do the 200-250 surgeries a year that Dr. Andrew mentioned it would still be a year or more before I could conceivably get it done here. 

Ah well. It's only money! LOL. 

Jus****ched it on their website! I was pleased to see Theresa  Oswald supporting the program. I wonder if now would be a good time for us to send her emails again asking for the program to be approved and expanded?
I think some of us wrote to her last year and it would be great if those of us waiting and those who have had the surgery speak of our need for the surgery and what it has done for those who have had it.
Maybe they will be able to open the criteria - I would be so pleased it they did. I have gotten ny BMI down from 54.8 to 50.5 close but still not enough to be accepted here.

Karen

When I had my consult with Dr. Vergis in September, it was just before the provincial election.  I asked him if there happened to be a change of government, could it affect the WLS  trial program here in Manitoba.   He adamantly said no, and if the program was done away with he would leave the province as we are the only province in Canada that didn't perform provincially funded WLS.    Personally, I can only see this program expanding, especially with the wonderful team of surgeons we have here who feel so strongly about what they do. 

Yes, I was thinking the same thing Karen; about writing Theresa again.  I wonder if Dr Andrews office kept those of us that did not meet the criteria on the waiting list.  I have had my name in there with them ever since the program first opened; so I sure hope they go back and look at us.

I was told in my rejection letter in Feb of 2011 that my name would be put on a waiting list for when they opened the criteria so I am hoping that will still happen.

Hi All!

I am new to this group but have been lurking for while to get a feel of what to expect and what is going to happen! I got my letter on Oct. 31/11 and am both excited and scared but I can't wait! The wait time does bring me down a bit so I  was excited to see this on the news..... I hope it goes through and maybe speed up the wait times for those of us waiting.  For those of you who post their experience and tips regarding the surgery a big thank you! This site is a big help!

Candace