BariatricPal Local Chapters…a New Way to Connect!

[lisacaron 5,075]

What Do You Think about BariatricPal Local Chapters?

LOVE THE IDEA!

• Would you be interested in attending regular local chapter meetings in person?

Yes!

• Would you be interested in being a leader (or co-leader)?

Yes, most definitely!

• Would you like BariatricPal to provide agendas for meetings?

Yes, but I think that it would help for them to be a more of a guideline that the leaders and co-coordinators of the groups can follow but gear their groups more toward the dynamic of that given group.

• What additional support could BariatricPal provide to encourage your participation and/or leadership?

I love the idea of offering education to the members interesting in taking on the leadership of a group, and that should be something that is updated as more information learned to stay current with what is going on in the medical field and be able to share that information with their members.

• Should there be limits on the minimum and maximum numbers of members that each Local Chapter can have?

I don’t think there should be limits on the number of members but I do think that there should be a council of people who run the group kind of in the vein of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer etc. to help run charters that are over 50 members.

I also think it may serve to have a person from each type of weight loss surgery modality have a role in a combined group for an area. As well as people in all different phases of the journey.

• What other ideas do you have?

I would be great to have an international charter that we can all belong to and perhaps hold an WLS conference annually or bi-annually where members from other countries and states might be able to get together for a fun filled healthy weekend that might include seminars and/or presentations on nutrition, exercise, exercise equipment, meditation, etc. as well as some entertainment.

Edited February 25, 2014 by lisacaron

[Soexcited 64]

Yes love the idea! Let's have the first one in San diego!

[kj44 215]

I also wouldn't mind co leading in my area!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

I am on board here too Alex...don't know where I would fit in being from a different country. But ready, willing to help any way I can....This is so amazing to be given these opportunities to help in my new found life. i so want to help others!

[lisacaron 5,075]

I am on board here too Alex...don't know where I would fit in being from a different country. But ready, willing to help any way I can....This is so amazing to be given these opportunities to help in my new found life. i so want to help others!

I'd love to see us have a WLS conference some day where we can get members from all over the world together, and perhaps move it around like they do the Olympics and have different chapters host them....hey I love to travel and I would totally stop by and check out a group, in another state, or another country!!

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Awesome idea. I go to the post op classes at our local hospital. They are not very well run or organized. I feel in a different setting we could talk to each other one on one. The meetings could be in a restaurant, say during happy hour when people eat lighter, and socialize, and the next month in a home, or a park as the weather gets better. There are so many options. People could bring Snacks for others to try, and I would be more than willing to participate in this adventure!

[Lynnc121 143]

Love the idea. I'm in!

[Indigo1991 1,612]

Love the idea of a WLS conference. Don't think we will have the volume in Scotland to have a chapter - but would happily head to the US to meet lots of familiar faces ))))

[Postop 411]

Very interesting plan.

I'd be able to meet up at a support group a couple of times a year. Unfortunately, I doubt I could commit to more.

[longtimecoming7 390]

Yes! I would love to help in Rochester, ny!

[vdub_tx 92]

I love love love this idea and would absolutely help lead, especially if you offered training. I do think BP should at least provide "suggested" agendas and chapters would likely need help securing guest speakers. I hope this works out as it is surprisingly difficult to find regular support groups in my area of Houston.

[Bec101 227]

This sounds awesome Alex!! It would be great to do these also for Australia as there is lots of us. We do organise our own catchups but this sounds like a great idea!!

[SillyAuntDi 1,610]

I think this is fantastic! Count me in

[gowalking 10,790]

OK Alex...looks like folks are interested. Lisa and I have been discussing the topic offline and we can certainly help with whatever you might need from us. Yes, an agenda driven meeting would be better than just sitting and chatting. It worked for us because we were a small group. Larger numbers and it runs into issues where people bunch up into smaller groups and it's just a gabfest. I very much like the idea of guest speakers from the medical community, nutrition and exercise community, and even psychological community. We could have discussions around topics we talk about here..not just what should I eat and what should I be losing but things like body image, spousal/family/friend support (or lack of) stress and avoiding emotional eating, how to deal with nosy coworkers...oh gosh there's so much out there to talk about.

Have you discussed any of this with Dr. Ren or anyone else at the practice? I'm thinking in terms of a resource of both medical professionals and bariatric patients. I understand Dr. Fielding used to take folks out to dinner to give them hints and guidance on how to eat out. Alot of people are afraid to eat out and I thought it was a great idea to take people and show them that they can eat out successfully.

I don't know if I'd want to be a leader or co-leader especially as I couldn't speak to the majority of bandsters with fills, but I'd be more than happy to work more behind the scenes in terms of organizing. I seem to be pretty good at that as long as I call ahead to make sure the cafe is actually open.... OK then...just let me know what I can do to help.

[DLCoggin 1,788]

Alex I'm in!

• Would you be interested in attending regular local chapter meetings in person? Absolutely
• Would you be interested in being a leader (or co-leader)? Chief or Indian, all the same to me.
• Would you like BariatricPal to provide agendas for meetings? I think that's a good idea. It would enable leaders to "compare notes" on most popular discussions and activities and participants to offer ideas on what they would like to see added as well as their feedback on the meetings and activities. Leaders can always make changes and/or additions based on the feedback they get from their groups.
• What additional support could BariatricPal provide to encourage your participation and/or leadership? I would like to see forums dedicated to the various chapters so that attendees and facilitators alike could comment.
• Should there be limits on the minimum and maximum numbers of members that each Local Chapter can have? Definitely. Colleen commented in the webinar today that in her experience 20 to 30 is a good number. 25 might be a good middle of the road.
• What other ideas do you have? The subject of establishing support groups by surgery type also came up in today's webinar discussion. We have seen on BP and BSCI has seen with in-person support groups that interaction is substantially more effective, better received and provide more targeted benefits when groups are surgery specific.

Thank you for yet another great idea!

Edited February 26, 2014 by DLCoggin