Miami Native Reconnects with her Children after Bariatric Surgery

By: Miranda Torres

Laura Bello, 50, struggled with her weight on and off for most of her life. Her issues never majorly affected her health, but she began not feeling like herself when she spent seven consecutive years pregnant and breastfeeding.

After having her three children, she decided she needed to make a change in order to feel good about herself again.

Bello had tried several different diets from low carbohydrates and Weight Watchers to keto and South Beach diet, so she decided she needed to do something more drastic. Her primary care physician put her on a low dosage of Ozempic, a semaglutide injection developed for diabetics, but used in conjunction with diet and exercise can lead to significant weight-loss.

While taking Ozempic, Bello was following the bariatric diet, hiking, walking, and trying to stay active. “More than anything, I was afraid of what would happen when I stopped taking the Ozempic,” said Bello. “I wanted to be able to lose the weight and keep it off so I needed to do something that was a more permanent solution to the weight loss.”

One year into her weight loss journey, she found Moises Jacobs, MD, FACS, medical director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at Jackson Health System. “Laura had already started her bariatric journey a year earlier with Ozempic, but decided surgery was the best solution at that point.”

In March of 2023, Bello underwent gastric sleeve surgery, a procedure in which a large portion of the stomach is removed to encourage weight loss. Post-surgery, she kept up with her walking routine and was already walking half a mile on the treadmill within a week of her surgery.

With her newfound passion for fitness, Bello has uncovered a new way to connect with her kids. “My daughter and I started training together at the gym and going on runs together,” said Bello. “I’ve always been very close to my kids but bariatric surgery has opened up the possibility of activities we can do together. Being able to keep up with them is great.”

As a way of showing support for her fitness journey, Bello’s children and husband all made drastic diet and lifestyle changes, and began walking with her daily. Just five months after surgery, she was walking three to six miles a day. She then joined a run club and decided to push herself by registering for a half marathon. “It’s always heartwarming to see patients achieve the goals they never thought possible post-bariatric surgery,” said Dr. Jacobs. “They finally see the potential in themselves and that newfound confidence leads to such great success.”

“It was such a slow progression that once I ran a mile for the first time, I cried,” said Bello of her running journey. “I was so proud of myself and that feeling was what sparked this new passion in me.” In preparation for her half marathon, Bello’s coworkers began running and training with her, even participating in a 5k turkey trot with her.

In January, Bello completed her very first half marathon, only 10 months after bariatric surgery. Now, she is 110 pounds down and has ran two 5k races, a 10k race, and three half marathons. “The bariatrics team at Jackson Health System hold such a special place in my heart, still to this day. I send them updates all the time and think of Dr. Jacobs every time I finish a race,” said Bello. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I love if it wasn’t for them.”