We recently sat down with Shannon McMann, DO, FACOI, DipABOM, to discuss her experience being the team captain for Pesta’s Pride – the 2023 #NationalWFODay Fundraising Champions. #NationalWFODay is TREO Foundation’s annual virtual Walk from Obesity which helps raise awareness and funds for obesity treatment efforts by encouraging participants to walk or perform other healthy activities. Participation is done virtually by sharing a photo or video to social media of the healthy activity with the hashtag #NationalWFODay.

TREO Foundation: Hi, Shannon. Thank you so much for taking the reins and being the Captain of team Pesta’s Pride for National Walk from Obesity Day in 2023! You did a great job and helped Dr. Pesta’s team become the top fundraising team, which means you are being awarded the President’s Cup Trophy – Congratulations! How do you and the rest of the team feel about being the Fundraising Champions of the virtual Walk? Where are you planning to display the trophy? 

Shannon: We are honored to accept this award!  We are happy to have raised money for the TREO Foundation.  Our trophy will be proudly displayed at The McLaren Macomb Bariatric Surgery Institute.

TREO Foundation: National Walk from Obesity Day is a virtual Walk, but your team actually met up in person and walked together. Tell our readers a little bit about the day, where you walked, and the people who made up your team. Also, how did you recruit members to join your team? Were they friends or colleagues? Were any of them weight loss patients? 

Shannon: I personally had gastric bypass surgery.  Dr. Pesta performed my surgery in February of 2020.  Pesta’s Pride is composed of patients, supportive family members, and staff.  Our team met at George George Memorial Park in Clinton Township, MI.  17 of the 19 members of our team were able to walk in person that day.  We recruited members by sharing about the Walk from Obesity on our patient lead Facebook bariatric surgery support page.

Our team members were: Shannon McMann, Carl Pesta, Lisa Capshaw, Maureen Decker, Nicole Greenfelder, Ash Harris, Jennifer Jones, Jenny Kasprzyk, Darlene King, Dawn Kurkierewicz, Lora Lendzian, Denise Lowe, Shannon Minor, Jessica Neidrick, Shannon Nye, Linda Pratt, Linda Schoonover, Rowana Tinsley, Harlee Voorhis, and Greg Taperek

Team Photo:

TREO Foundation: You mentioned you are a former weight loss patient yourself. Clearly supporting TREO Foundation’s Walk from Obesity is something you are passionate about. As a bariatric surgery patient, why do you think it’s important to support the Walk from Obesity? 

Shannon: Prior to pursuing bariatric surgery and learning about TREO Foundation,  I associated my obesity with shame and guilt.  Even as a primary care physician, I was unaware that obesity has been classified as a disease since 2012!  Now that I have been successful in my weight loss journey, I want to give back to fellow patients that suffer from the disease.  I pursued board certification in Obesity Medicine and strive to help pre- or post-op bariatric surgery patients find success in battling the complexity of obesity.  Supporting TREO Foundation will improve public awareness about obesity as a chronic disease, and highlight the multiple different treatment options available for long term multimodal treatment.

TREO Foundation: Support from patients like yourself is certainly what helps fuel TREO Foundation’s mission! Because there is still a stigma around obesity and weight loss surgery, what would you say to other folks out there who may be hesitant to participate in the Walk from Obesity because they don’t want to put their name or face to our cause? It seems to be something you are very proud to do. 

Shannon:  The first step to ending the stigma and bias that surrounds the disease of obesity is creating awareness surrounding the disease.  During a BariNation podcast, Dr. Eric Smith from the TLC show 1000 Pound Sisters, profoundly stated that “Obesity is a disease and not a decision.”  That really hit home and fueled my passion to support research and awareness surrounding the disease of obesity.  Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for our disease and it is poorly understood by the public.  It is not the “easy way out” nor is it a high risk surgery.  Patient involvement in events like the Walk from Obesity, and participation in community support groups are crucial components of the weight loss surgery journey.

TREO Foundation: Shannon, thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview and again for leading team Pesta’s Pride! Does the team plan to defend the title next year? Also, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your team and participation? 

Shannon: It has been my pleasure!  My hope is that the size of our team will double for next year.  We certainly plan on matching or surpassing this year’s fundraising efforts!  Dr. Pesta and his team are incredibly supportive and accessible during our weight loss surgery  journey.  Participating in a team named in his honor is a small thank you for his part in helping us get our lives back.

The 2024 National Walk from Obesity Day virtual Walk will be on Saturday, September 28th. Follow @WalkfromObesity on Facebook or Instagram for announcements regarding the event and registration.