Bariatric Surgery Helps Cancer Survivor’s Journey to Health

Meagan Haley, 38, had finally gotten to a point where she needed to make a change. She was obesely overweight – facing a host of health challenges. She found herself always feeling tired and not feeling good about her body. She was quickly losing her desire to enjoy life.

“It is common for people who are obese to struggle with mental illness, often times clinical depression and anxiety,” said Mark Jonker, MD, bariatric surgeon at Trinity Health Livingston. “It can also lead to cardiovascular disease – heart disease and stroke – as well as diabetes and other serious conditions.”

“I have always been overweight, pretty much my entire life,” said Meagan. “I got to a point where I was disgusted with my body, and I didn’t like how I was feeling. I didn’t want to go to my son’s activities or spend time with my family as much.”

Nearly five years ago, Meagan researched bariatric surgery. She completed everything she needed to do to become a viable candidate for the surgery, but at the last moment, she backed out. She was fearful of the surgery. Then, a friend referred her to Dr. Jonker.

“My friend (who had bariatric surgery the previous year) said Dr. Jonker had great bed-side manners and he would take the time to explain things thoroughly,” said Meagan. “When I met with him, I instantly felt really comfortable with him. He described the procedure and what my weight loss expectations should be. I trusted him as a surgeon.”

In March of 2022, Meagan had robotic bariatric surgery. She describes it as the best thing she has ever done for herself – a life-changing event in the very best way. “This minimally invasive surgery is known to leave patients with significantly less pain, less blood loss, shorter recovery time and in many cases, better clinical outcomes than traditional surgery,” said Dr. Jonker.

About two hours after Meagan’s surgery, she was up, walking the halls of the recovery unit – and she went home the very next day. Over the next week, Meagan continued her recovery at home. At first, her husband was hesitant and didn’t thoroughly understand the scope of Meagan’s health and the choice she had made to have bariatric surgery. That hesitancy was short lived. After he saw her commitment and hard work she was putting in, he embraced her journey to health and backed her completely.

“I started working out as soon as I was medically cleared to do so – after six weeks,” said Meagan. “I wanted to start getting into a habit of being in the gym and eating proper nutrition. More than just the surgery, Trinity Health offered me a nutritionist for guidance and access to a support group.”

It has been a year since Meagan’s surgery. She continues to go to the gym regularly – at least five days a week – and she enjoys a healthy, well-balanced diet. She has proudly lost 67 pounds.

“I’m happy with my body and how it responded to the gym,” said Meagan. “My body composition has completely changed. I’m building muscle. I wanted to build muscle and feel strong in the gym, and I’m feeling that change.

“Skydiving has been a goal of mine since forever! After surgery and losing weight along the way, this has been the only time that I have felt it is an attainable goal. I'm looking forward to achieving this goal – after I finish nursing school next April,” said Meagan.

Meagan is a bright beacon of hope for others – she is also a cancer survivor. She acknowledges that she, like some people, just needed a little extra help to lose weight. Meagan continues to refer her friends to Dr. Jonker and tells them, though the initial decision to have surgery can be difficult, it’s worth it.

Ready to make a change? Start your journey today and learn more about the benefits of bariatric surgery with our free virtual educational seminar.

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