The phrase "a new year, a new you" has special meaning for Sonya Flores, who will greet 2009 as a very different person. For years she had tried to lose weight without success. Then, family health concerns caught her attention. Her father, 76, lost both his legs to diabetes. He also had heart bypass surgery. In addition, Flores discovered that several relatives on her father's side of the family had diabetes. "I was getting older and steadily gaining weight," said Flores. Then her physician advised her that she was showing pre-diabetic symptoms. At a weight of 268 pounds, she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery.

Flores had the Roux-en-Y procedure in 2006 at Methodist Hospital and received care before and after the surgery at the Methodist Healthcare Health for Life Center. She then had a total body lift in 2007. She weighed 249 pounds at the time of the surgery and has lost 140 pounds. "I feel great," said Flores. "I'm still a work in progress." Flores has a special incentive to make her commitment to weight loss a success. She works as a health information management clerk at the Methodist Healthcare Health for Life Center. "I have to maintain my weight because I'm a role model," said Flores, who talks to patients during pre-admission testing for gastric bypass surgery and also speaks at seminars for patients.

Flores said that she now watches what she eats, adding that at times she still has the "fat person" mentality. She is going to the gym regularly and shopping for new clothes. Co-workers at the center observed that Flores is happier, more energetic and more outgoing since her transformation “She seems more secure and eager to share her stories with new patients and patients needing encouragement,” said Theresa Kloewer, the director of the Health for Life Center.

With advance notice, Flores is available for interviews. Flores also has “before” and “after” photos.

Methodist Healthcare offers two Health for Life Centers in San Antonio. Each center offers seminars on weight loss surgery and provides emotional and medical support before and after bariatric surgery. The medical center facility offers a comprehensive weight loss program while the center at Metropolitan Methodist Plaza focuses on the lap band procedure. Visit HealthforLifeCenters.com for complete information.

If you are interested in doing a story, please phone JoAnn King, 575-0171 or 325-3294 (cell). For media assistance during the weekend, please phone Methodist Hospital, 575-4000, and ask for the public relations representative on call.