In 2007 I was blessed in becoming a part of the Jacksonville Weight Loss team. Dr. Cywes and the team gave me a gift called the Lap-BAND. However, the BAND was only the bow and paper of the gift because the true gift was the education they instilled in me to prosper in my weight loss journey. Initially going into this program, I thought the Lap-Band would lose the weight for me, but Dr. Cywes knocked me back into reality the first day in the program and made me realize the BAND would only work for me if I worked just as hard, if not harder, in return. These words of wisdom, as well as the many that followed helped me more and more in my journey to become who I wanted to be.

The weight loss has changed my life for the good beyond what anyone can see on the outside. At first I was a morbidly obese, weird and awkward kid, but today, I am a thin, weird and awkward kid. To add, my confidence level has sky-rocketed which has led to many successes – academic and personal. My confidence in the classroom and workplace has led to some very nice rewards and opportunities for which I am so thankful. As the weight melted off, I began to express myself more and more. The more pounds I shed, the more light my personality absorbed and my expressiveness merely reflected who I was on the inside for all the years that it was cushioned by the weight that kept it all in.

Saying “Thank You” to Dr. Cywes and the Jacksonville Weight Loss team can never be enough to express the true gratitude I have for them. Their patience, overwhelming sense of encouragement and Dr. Cywes’ tough-love approach are inspiring to me. All I can do is promise to incorporate what they continue to teach me into my everyday life so that I can continue an ongoing healthy lifestyle.

– Andrew, BAND Member since 2007