When bariatric patients or perspective bariatric patients search for information to understand how we may look or feel after bariatric surgery, we search for people that look like us: women, men, trans, genderfluid, people of color, height, similar starting weight, age, etc.
As recently as ten years ago, many of these groups found it difficult to find someone online who looked like them before weight loss surgery. There wasn’t a lot of information available within our bariatric community. Thankfully, this is slowly changing, and it’s getting easier for people to find others they can relate to and see a future for themselves.
Many people are surprised that their social media account positively affects someone else. They may have started their social media account secretly as a way to document their personal journey and ended up inspiring and motivating others in the process.
We come together for the Just Be You Bariatric Awards to celebrate the lives of these brave people who put themselves in the public eye to share their stories and support others in their bariatric journey.
When we shine the light within us, we put a spotlight on the entire bariatric community,
getting us one step closer to mainstream exposure.
Since its inception, the most important element of the awards show has been making sure our entire community is involved.
We want EVERYONE’s voice heard and celebrated.
- Bariatric community members choose the award categories
- Bariatric community members nominate their peers
- Bariatric community members vote for those they relate to, are inspired by, educated by, etc.
- Bariatric community members attend the event
- Bariatric community members present the awards
