ASMBS Foundation News and Update—August 2011

August 2011

by David Provost, MD

Dr. Provost is President of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Foundation. He maintains a private practice; Provost Bariatrics in Denton, Texas. Dr. Provost also serves on the ASMBS Executive Council, is a member of the Surgical Review Corporation’s (SRC) Board of Directors and is a member of the Society for American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), where he serves on the Bariatric Liaison Committee.

ASMBS Foundation Mission Statement
The ASMBS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization developed to raise funds for conducting research, education, increasing public and scientific awareness and understanding, and improving access to quality care and treatment of obesity. The Foundation shares the vision of the ASMBS to improve the public health and well being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world.

The ASMBS Foundation congratulates Dr. Philip Schauer, recipient of the Foundation’s 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award. Philip Schauer, MD, a 1986 graduate of Baylor College of Medicine, is the recipient of the ASMBS Foundation’s 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award. The award was presented at the ASMBS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida on June 16, 2011.

The ASMBS Foundation’s Outstanding Achievement Award honors an ASMBS member who supports the goals and visions of the ASMBS Foundation, who displays a lasting impression and selfless commitment to the ASMBS organization, and who makes significant contributions to the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery.
“Dr. Schauer exemplifies the reason for the existence of the Outstanding Achievement Award,” said Dr. Kelvin Higa, the Foundation’s Immediate-Past President. As past president of the ASMBS and a past member of the Foundation Board, Dr. Schauer was instrumental in changing the name and direction of the ASMBS by institution of strategic planning as well as being one of the most generous individual donors to the ASMBS Foundation. “Dr. Schauer’s leadership, compassion, dedication, and contributions to the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery makes him the leading candidate for this honor,” Dr. Higa said.

Dr. Schauer currently serves as Director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Cleveland Clinic and is a Professor of Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University.

The ASMBS Foundation congratulates Tracy Martinez, recipient of the Foundation’s President’s Service Award. This award recognizes an individual who has made a lasting contribution to the ASMBS Foundation and the Foundation’s mission to support the ASMBS.

Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN, has been working in the field of bariatric surgery for over 15 years. She has experience in recovery room/intensive care nursing as well as nursing education. She is published in Critical Care Nursing and recently authored a book chapter in Obesity Surgery. Ms. Martinez is the immediate past chairperson of the Integrated Health section of the ASMBS. She consults nationally for several corporations in the field of bariatrics, serves as co-chair for the International Federation of Surgery for Obesity, Integrated Health Section, and is on the Governing Board of the Surgical Review Corporation.

The ASMBS Foundation’s Operation M.O.R.E. Give generously. Make a difference. Get M.O.R.E. involved! Operation M.O.R.E. (Monies for Obesity Research and Education) is a fundraising campaign of the ASMBS Foundation. This program starts with the members of the ASMBS and includes hospitals, industry, patients, and all those affected by the disease of obesity. Your donations are necessary to support the mission of the ASMBS by funding educational programs and research projects.

Through individual and corporate contributions, Operation M.O.R.E. has raised over half a million dollars and the goal for 2011 is to reach the million dollar mark.

Programs and Projects of the Foundation.
•    Double Platinum Sponsor of the Certified Bariatric Nurse Program
•    Funded 21 ASMBS Research Grants
•    Supported the ASMBS Nutrition Guidelines Project
•    Supported the ASMBS Online CME Program
•    Funded the ASMBS Integrated Health Research Awards
•    Supported the Edward Mason Professorship at the University of Iowa
•    Supported the educational and advocacy initiatives of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)
•    Sponsored the Walk from Obesity, Walk on the Capitol in Washington, DC, in 2008
•    Funded the Walk from Obesity Cookbook
•    Funded 10 Bryan G. Woodward Community Grants to support local initiatives to address the obesity epidemic
•    Sponsored the 2010 ASMBS Fall Educational Courses
•    Funded the ASMBS Access and Advocacy Program
•    Funded the 2011 ASMBS International Committee Awards

The Foundation has approved funding for the following projects:
•    The revised ASMBS Patient Booklet
•    The ASMBS jLog™ Program, an online educational project to meet the information needs of patients and referring physicians regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery

Make a donation for obesity research and education today and help us meet our goal. Visit www.asmbsfoundation.org

2011 Walk from Obesity Fall Events. The Walk from Obesity National Headquarters is proud to announce a complete list of the cities that will be hosting an event this fall. In each of these cities, local hospitals, private practices, and individuals volunteer their time to organize and plan these events. Without their support and efforts, the Walk from Obesity would not be possible and we send a huge thank you to all of those individuals.

The Walk from Obesity is a nationwide event designed to raise awareness of obesity. Individuals pay a registration fee to participate, and funds raised from the Walks support the ASMBS Foundation and its research and professional education initiatives and also support the general public educational and advocacy programs of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC).

As event details are submitted to the Walk from Obesity National Headquarters, online registration and donation capability for these events will be available at www.walkfromobesity.com.
Please join us for an event this fall, as we Walk from Obesity!

Cities Hosting a Walk from Obesity Event in Fall 2011

Alabama—Mobile
Arkansas—Little Rock
Arizona—Scottsdale
California—Marina Del Ray, San Francisco
Connecticut—Greater CT.
Florida—Jacksonville, Tampa
Georgia—Atlanta
Illinois—Chicago
Indiana—Indianapolis
Kansas—Topeka
Kentucky—Pikeville
Louisiana—Lafayette
Maryland—Glen Burnie, Rockville
Massachusetts—Boston, Lowell
Minnesota—Park Rapids
Michigan—East Lansing, Grand Rapids
Missouri—St. Louis
New Hampshire—Manchester
New Jersey—Cranford, Point Pleasant, Egg Harbor Township
New York—Central NY, Utica, Syracuse
North Carolina—Charlotte, Concord, Greenville, Hickory
Ohio—Akron, Bowling Green, Cleveland, Columbus
Oregon—Coos Bay, Eugene
Pennsylvania—Abington, Harrisburg
Hazleton, Hollsopple
Rhode Island—Pawtucket
South Carolina—Myrtle Beach, Spartanburg
Tennessee—Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville
Texas—Dallas, Houston, McAllen
Utah—South Jordan
Washington—Everett, Federal Way

ASMBS Foundation 2011–2012 Officers and Directors

David Provost, MD
President
Raul Rosenthal, MD
Secretary/Treasurer

Laura Boyer, RN
Robert Brolin, MD
Robert Dougherty
Helen Fobi, RN
Kenneth B. Jones, Jr., MD
Thomas Kinder
Keith Kim, MD
Georgeann Mallory, RD
Scott Shikora, MD
Alan Wittgrove, MD
Bruce Wolfe, MD

Tags: ASMBS Foundation

Category: ASMBS Foundation News and Update, Past Articles