Patient Testimonials
Click on a name to jump to that patient’s story below Charles Peterson | Joanne Arroyo | Mary Fournier | Jim Brushway
Jim’s Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery Journey
Watch this video to learn more about the weight loss journey of Cooley Dickinson Hospital patient Jim Brushway and the medical staff that helped him:
Mary’s Story: 145 Pounds Lighter After Sleeve Gastrectomy
Mary Fournier has worked at Cooley Dickinson Hospital for the better part of 3 decades, primarily in the hospital pharmacy. Even though she was surrounded by generally health-conscious friends and co-workers, she struggled with her weight for, according to her, her “whole adult life.”
She had joined Weight Watchers and tried it on and off for years but without much success or enthusiasm. When she was in her early 20s, through a very restrictive program, she almost got her weight down to her current, post-bariatric surgery weight. But even at that time, she eventually gained all of it back, stuck in a cycle of fairly extreme loss and gain.
Click here to read more of Mary’s story.
Joanne Arroyo: Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery
Springfield resident Joanne Arroyo felt she was taking too many medications and wanted to be healthy. She had been a patient of Ursula McMillian, MD, for a gallbladder removal years before and recalled feeling “safe” with her, so she began seeing her for weight loss treatment at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. In 2022, Joanne decided to undergo a sleeve gastrectomy with Dr. McMillian and felt her experience at Cooley Dickinson’s Bariatric Surgery and Weight Management Program has been great. Joanne is pictured above before and after her surgery.
Charles Peterson: Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery
Charles Peterson is taking his 11-year-old daughter to Six Flags amusement park for the first time. She’s wanted to go with him for years, and he’s not afraid of the rides; it just hasn’t been possible until now. “Her entire life I’ve never taken her, because I was too big to go on the rides and I knew I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I didn’t want to embarrass her. And so today’s the first day that I can feel comfortable and I’ll be able to go.”
After years of struggle, Charles finally elected to have bariatric weight loss surgery in 2022 through the Cooley Dickinson Bariatric and Weight Management program, under the guidance of bariatric surgeon Ursula McMillian, MD. Following his surgery, Charles has lost 154 pounds and literally looks like a new man.
