“You are transforming the lives of people who feel lost because of their weight. I’ve found the joy of living again.”
Vera Dos Reis, 66, is an accomplished photographer for Brazilian and Portuguese news organizations who currently writes for Luso Americano Newspaper. She has been capturing beautiful moments at weddings and celebrations, and in the corporate, financial and non-profit world for over twenty years.
However, for the past 10 years she couldn’t look at herself in the mirror. Vera had gained a significant amount of weight while caring for her mother-in-law and husband, both of whom were suffering from terminal illnesses and have since passed on.
“I took care of everyone except myself,” she recalls. During that time Vera gained over 60 pounds, her blood pressure skyrocketed, she developed three large hernias and GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), a digestive disorder.
“I hated meeting people, avoided photos, and wore black, baggy clothing to hide myself.” Then one day she didn’t recognize herself in a family group photo. That very day, she made a commitment to improve her health and started researching ways to lower her blood pressure and lose weight.
Vera searched for “best bariatric doctor in Newark” and found Alan Saber, MD, Chief of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Saber has more than 25 years of experience in minimally invasive bariatric and metabolic surgery and has performed over 6,000 procedures. She made an appointment.
Upon meeting Dr. Saber and the multidisciplinary team at Newark Beth Israel, she recalls, immediately feeling at ease with Dr. Saber’s compassion, clarity, and willingness to answer all her questions.
“Hers was an extremely challenging case,” says Dr. Saber. “But when I met her, I knew she was a fighter.” Vera’s medical history also included a Stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis which she survived and beat through surgery and 600 hours of chemotherapy. “Despite having undergone multiple prior surgeries—including a colon resection and hernia repairs—she came to us determined to reclaim her health.”
In July 2024, Dr. Saber performed a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, one of the most common minimally invasive weight loss surgeries that reduces the size of the stomach by approximately 80%. Since her procedure, Vera has lost more than 60 pounds. She no longer has hypertension and has not had any GERD symptoms for months.
“Today, I feel more feminine, lighter, and ready to do everything I couldn’t do before. I’m no longer afraid of the mirror, the scale, or the camera,” said Vera.
As a photographer, Vera is looking forward to working at events and celebrations again—and is touched by the many compliments she receives about her health makeover.
“Dr. Saber, may God bless your golden hands and brilliant mind. You are transforming the lives of people who feel lost because of their weight. I’ve found the joy of living again, ” said Vera.
Learn more about Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center or request an appointment.