Danny's Story

At age 34, Danny Yancey weighed in at 350 pounds and was not only frustrated but also unhealthy. He had lost and regained weight more than once in an effort to get his weight under control, mainly to be there for his wife and three young daughters. “I was at the point where I felt like I wouldn’t live very much longer,” Danny explains. “I had high blood pressure and sleep apnea, and I was in really bad physical shape. I looked at my girls and realized I had to do something.”

Danny began to research weight loss options and met a woman who had successfully undergone gastric bypass surgery, which inspired him to learn more. When his sister saw that Catawba Valley Medical Center was hosting an informational seminar about Surgical Weight Management, Danny decided to attend. “I had researched all the doctors in the state and had basically narrowed it down to two, and one of them was Dr. Cook,” Danny recalls. “When I found out that Dr. Cook was leading the seminar, it was the icing on the cake.”

Danny passed all the preliminary examinations and had surgery on March 11, 2005. He has since lost 150 pounds and has been able to maintain a healthy weight. Most importantly, his family has noticed a big difference. “I hear all the time now how good I look, but what people don’t know is how great I feel,” Danny explains. “I feel awesome. You don’t realize how much obesity affects you both mentally and physically. I can do things now with my family that I wasn’t able to do before. It’s really had a positive effect on the quality of my health and my family life.”

Danny also praises the program’s monthly support group, which he credits for helping him through the tough times. “The support group has been one of the biggest blessings in my life post-op,” Danny says. “We have a dietitian and a social worker who work with us, and the coordinator is an absolute blessing to everyone. I’ve even called her in the middle of the night and during her kids’ games, and she’s been there for me. I can’t stress enough what a positive impact they have had on me through all this.”