Wife and husband support each other through weight loss surgeries two weeks apart

For people who have been dealing with issues related to weight, bariatric surgery can be a life-changing experience. It can represent, for qualified patients, a new start toward a sustainable lifestyle with fewer weight-related health complications and challenges.

Having the support of family can be a key factor in the decision. For married couple Nicole and Marcus Wessells, who are parents to three under 10-year-old children, they only had to turn to each other to know they were making the best decision for themselves. They each had a gastric sleeve procedure done in October 2024 by Inspira surgeon, Christoper Bashian, D.O., Director of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill.

“We figured if we did it together we could encourage each other and hold ourselves accountable,” Marcus said. “Going through this with Nicole was great motivation for me.”

For Nicole, 41 and a pharmacy technician, controlling weight has been a near-lifelong challenge. She has a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which can be associated with weight gain and other health complications, such as diabetes and heart disease. She said that having the surgery, in conjunction with the pre-surgery program, has given her new freedom. On the day of her surgery she was 218 pounds. Today she is at 130.

“Dr. Bashian is just so personable and thorough,” she said. “He walked me through every little thing. Now I can finally go up and down the stairs without getting out of breath. I can keep up with my kids. I take long walks, ride a bike, and go to the gym. I am very satisfied with my progress almost a year out from the surgery.”

Marcus, 41, and an IT manager for a health care company, says he too has had issues with his weight for most of his lifetime, and had become pre-diabetic as an adult. Since the surgery, he has lost 120 pounds.

“I was always a heavyset kid. But I was also tall for my age, so it didn’t bother me as much,” he said. “But in young adulthood, I realized I had to make a change. And I tried everything. I had some success, but the weight always came back. Dr. Bashian and the team were great. They told me everything I needed to know and the way they relayed information to me was easy to understand. Dr. Bashian didn’t sugarcoat anything. He told me it was going to be a challenge, but that if I stuck to it, it would work. And it has!”

The couple, from Sicklerville, said that the whole experience with Inspira confirmed for them that they had chosen the right option.

“We were well prepared by Dr. Bashian and his entire team,” Nicole said. “We knew what to expect every step of the way. That was really important.”