Testimonial

Former patient reconnects with Dr. Alireza Behboudi to thank the physician whose care left a lasting impression As Claire Kesler prepared to graduate from high school and begin the next chapter of her life, there was one person she knew she wanted to thank. Someone she had seen consistently through her elementary years due to…

John Smith’s career reflects a steady sense of purpose shaped by years of service and the quiet confidence that comes from having been there when it mattered most — first as a paramedic and later as a leader responsible for entire communities. Those early, hands-on experiences still guide him, especially moments when a patient survived…

To care for the health and needs of others, Mary Weathered knew that she first had to improve her own health. Shown above with her granddaughter Jai’mya, Weathered (left) was born and raised in St. Augustine, Texas. Though she lived for a time in Lufkin, she moved back to St. Augustine to become a home…

Let’s be clear – there is nothing easy about the preparations for bariatric surgery, but the rewards can be great. “I’m not going to lie, it was a big struggle,” said Wendy Blake, 46, who serves as a 911 dispatcher in Mineola. “The preparations and the liquid diet before surgery were not easy. I just…

Aishia Chism, 44, knows the value of unconditional love that a mother, grandmother or even a godmother can instill in a child’s heart. A Tyler native who now lives in Dallas, Chism remembers fondly the love shown by her family, especially her godmother. “As a kid, I had an awesome godmother who lived next door…

After years of dieting without successfully losing weight, Maria Tinajero has experienced great improvements after surgery with the UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center. “Growing up, I was always the overweight child at school,” said Maria, now a 46-year-old mother of six and a manager-in-training at a Tyler restaurant. “In grade school, my mother kept me…

For Mike White, a 39-year-old salesman from Lindale, Texas, losing 127 pounds wasn’t exclusively the result of the excellent care he received at UT Health Tyler Bariatric Center. Much of his weight loss was also due to the new mindset he developed about food. “Everyone can temporarily lose weight by having bariatric surgery,” said Mike.…

For Carla Lee-Ervin, the days were long and stressful. A 51-year-old widow living just south of Tyler in Flint, for 25 years she worked at Sam’s Club. She started as a teller and worked her way up to supervisor of the local store’s marketing and membership department. As she worked, she also dealt with gaining…

Our body is like a finely-tuned automobile. Treat it right and it can last for a very long time. But when you overload a vehicle with too much weight, the tires can wear out quickly and you face the possibility of a blowout. This extra strain also means the engine has to work harder to…