- Men's Health, Patient & Family Advisors, Weight Loss, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMark Goss knows how hard it can be to lose weight and keep it off. At age 34, the Annapolis resident and business owner weighed just over 350 pounds. When his primary care doctor warned him that he was headed for early heart disease and stroke, he knew it was time to get healthier for the sake of his wife and two young daughters. After years of trying a number of weight loss programs that didn’t work for him, Mark was inspired when he attended a free seminar held by AAMC’s Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program. The program’s emphasis on forming healthy, lifelong habits made sense to him. After undergoing surgery in 2014, he lost more than 100 pounds, his weight has remained stable, and he has a new, healthy lifestyle that he knows he can sustain. “If you are serious about long-term weight loss and getting healthy, the AAMC weight loss surgery program provides an outstanding tool for making the changes that can save your life,” says Mark, who now provides peer support to new and prospective AAMC bariatric patients. “I’m sure it saved mine.” Even Biggest Losers Gain Recent research has shown just how difficult it can be to sustain weight loss like Mark’s. In one study, detailed in a May 2016 New York Times article, researchers followed a group of contestants from the reality TV show “The Biggest Loser” for six years after their weight loss. During those years, the contestants’ metabolism actually slowed down. It became harder than normal for them to burn calories, and most regained their weight. “Weight loss surgery provides an added advantage to diet and exercise as the only proven, long-term weight loss solution for patients struggling with obesity,” says Alex Gandsas, MD, director of AAMC’s Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program. “But a focus on overall wellness and long-term support is another crucial factor for success. We’ve found that patients do so much better in a program that will support them for the rest of their lives. Surgery is only one of the components on the journey along with nutrition, psychological counseling and medically supervised exercise.” No more medication Mark was a candidate for sleeve gastrectomy, one of two minimally invasive weight loss surgeries offered at AAMC. The small stomach pouch his surgery created now provides a fail-safe against overeating, he says. “I can comfortably eat one plate of food, and immediately after that I have an amazingly full feeling.” Prior to the procedure, he had a complete medical evaluation and physical fitness training. After surgery, program dietitians prescribed him a diet that he says helped him break an addiction to junk food. He also entered the AAMC Bariatric Optimization Program, a carefully monitored exercise regimen. “The program gave me the building blocks I needed to continue exercising on my own with a personal trainer,” he says. He continues to work out regularly and stays away from unhealthy foods. All in the family Mark’s journey has also had a profound effect on his family’s health. His wife has lost nearly 100 pounds with diet and exercise, and his daughters now ask for the healthy foods they see their parents eating. In addition, the once sedentary family is now active and the kids are enrolled in sports programs. “We are where we should have been to begin with,” he says. “The surgery was a catalyst for a life change.” Mark now helps guide the program and supports others in his role as a patient and family advisor. And if he needs help, Mark knows he can contact his AAMC team with any questions, concerns or complications. He credits this support as a key factor in his ongoing success. “Everyone’s really friendly and just an email away,” he says. “I struggle the same as everyone, and moderation is still the key. But it’s easy now that I have the mindset and the knowledge to keep my weight under control and to stay fit,” Mark says. “It’s up to the individual to capitalize on the opportunities this program offers, and AAMC makes it easier.” AAMC surgeons also perform complex hernia repair procedures in combination with weight loss surgery.
- Cancer Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAt eight months pregnant, first-time mother-to-be Jessi Collins began experiencing shortness of breath. After a trip to the ER, she learned she had a massive tumor near her lungs. After being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer in the lymph nodes, Jessi did the only thing she could do: Put her faith in the hands of her doctors. “I thought to myself, ‘This cannot be happening. I am 31 years old and 31 weeks pregnant. How can this be?’ It was very surreal,” says Jessi. “There were times when I was furious and said to myself, ‘This just isn’t fair.'” Read more about Jessi’s story and learn how her “miracle team” of doctors helped keep both her and her baby healthy.
- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNancy Noel says cancer may be the best thing that happened to her. “There’s life after cancer, and it’s not all about cancer,” says Nancy. “You’ll find you’re wanting to do things you never would’ve done. The disease motivates you to do.” After she completed treatment for a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer, Nancy and her husband took up storm chasing. “As we stare up into that swirling belly of the beast, I remind myself that it’s great to be alive.” Nancy also mentors women newly diagnosed with breast cancer through AAMC’s program, Survivors Offering Support (SOS). She helps guide women with breast cancer through diagnosis, treatment and survivorship. SOS debuted at AAMC in 2004 and has since expanded to hospitals throughout the mid-Atlantic. The program pairs a newly diagnosed patient with a breast cancer survivor. The mentor provides support and encouragement from diagnosis through recovery. Read more about how a supportive team of peers and medical professionals can help women with breast cancer make personal treatment choices.
- Community, News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogBosom Buddies Charities celebrated its 10th anniversary with a $1.5 million milestone in support of Anne Arundel Medical Center at their 2016 Bosom Buddies Ball. Their time and commitment helps provide essential equipment and programs to treat breast cancer patients at AAMC’s Kent Island Breast Center and the Rebecca Fortney Breast Center at AAMC. Bosom Buddies has helped fund a nurse navigator position, a 3D biopsy machine, Spy Elite imaging equipment, portable ultrasound and digital mammography units. Bosom Buddies Charities members include breast cancer survivors and their friends and family. Through events like their annual Bosom Buddies Ball, Crabs for a Cure Feast and partnerships with other community organizations, they are successful in their mission to promote breast cancer awareness, encourage early detection, support treatment and celebrate healing. “As a breast cancer survivor myself, I’m excited to join forces with Bosom Buddies Charities to support their mission of early detection, as well as raise awareness of younger women being diagnosed,” says Elizabeth DeCesaris, vice chair of Bosom Buddies Charities. “I received so much support from our community when I was diagnosed and hope to help others through their journey.” The group is well into their planning for next year’s ball and events. Biana Arentz, chair of Bosom Buddies Charities, says, “Our 2017 Bosom Buddies Ball theme is ‘Maryland Against Breast Cancer,’ and we are excited that Governor Larry Hogan will join us to promote breast cancer awareness and paint Maryland pink.” Call the AAMC Foundation at 443-481-4747 to learn how you can help.
- PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection, affecting nearly one in four people in the United States. It is thought to be responsible for more than 90 percent of anal and cervical cancers, about 70 percent of vaginal and vulvar cancers, and more than 60 percent of penile cancers. HPV is also linked to cancers of the throat and tongue. The HPV vaccine can prevent the infection and associated cancers and is recommended for all preteen boys and girls around age 11 to 12. The vaccine is given in a series of three shots, each a few months apart. Women who missed the vaccine as teens can receive the shot through age 26, and men through age 21. But the shot works best when given well before a person becomes sexually active. Some parents are hesitant about the vaccine because it raises the uncomfortable issue of their child’s sexuality — often before the onset of puberty. If you are hesitant about the vaccine, I encourage you to have an open conversation with your child’s doctor to have all of your questions answered. Author Dwight Fortier, MD, is a pediatrician at Annapolis Pediatrics, with offices in Annapolis, Severna Park and Crofton. To reach his office, call 410-263-6363.
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