Posted: February 5, 2010

Mary Ellen Oravetz praises Dr. Glen Moore as her hero and with "literally saving" her life.

Oravetz was living on borrowed time. At 400 pounds, she began to experience severe leg pains. Fearing amputation, she consulted with a vascular surgeon who referred her to Moore, a general and bariatric surgeon at Tidewater Surgical Specialists. The referral changed her life forever. Not only was her leg saved, she gained a new chance at life, which now consists of belly-dancing lessons, flying on airplanes, sitting in movie theaters and buying shoes at a department store.

"Dr. Moore gave me the chance to have a normal life," Oravetz said. "He treats patients with respect and compassion. He is straightforward and humble. He has never taken credit for me being alive but I know that he is the reason I am still here."

For 12 years, Moore has been practicing in the bariatric field. He sees more than 20 patients a day looking for the same experience as Oravetz.

"I think the interesting thing about obesity is how profoundly it affects people's lives and health," Moore said. "I think obesity has affected them in terms of quality of life, personal relationships and personal interaction."

At the center, prior to bariatric surgery, patients must go through an education and dietary seminar, individual consultations, psychological testing and preoperative testing.

"It can take several months to complete all of that," Moore said. "They also attend the support groups before and after surgery."

Even after patients leave his office, Moore makes frequent visits to the support groups.

"One thing we stress with the patients is that it's not just the surgery that makes bariatric surgery successful - it's the preparation and education before surgery and the follow-up and support after surgery," he said.

"We are extremely proud of Mary Ellen and I'm honored to be a recipient of this award. We owe the success of the program to our patients and staff in the program who contribute to this success." nib

- Lakeshia Artis