AKRON, Ohio — Riley Ickes starts her day early.
“I usually get up at 5:30 (a.m.) and go to the gym,” said Ickes. “I come home and get something eat before school.”
She hopes school and other things return to normal soon. Ickes has a lot to be proud of. Besides doing well in school and adjusting to this new normal, Ickes has lost over 100 pounds.
Ickes started participating in Akron Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Active Living program in eighth grade. As a young girl, she struggled with weight and overall health. Ickes and her family talk about everything she tried to get healthier, including a balanced diet and exercise, but nothing worked.
Once she started attending Akron Children’s Hospital’s clinic, Ickes was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome which can be associated with obesity. This caused her body to produce certain hormones that made it nearly impossible for her lose weight. After going through nearly a year of the Healthy Active Living program, Riley was the third person to get pediatric bariatric surgery.
“I was 324 pounds. Now I weigh 222,” said Ickes. “I think it’s crazy I’m still losing weight.”
Dr. Marnie Walston is one of the Ickes’ doctors. She works with a lot of kids in the program — some who are interested in surgery, some who are not.
“It’s not a quick fix and it’s not a fast path to surgery,” said Walston. “We really take time to make sure our patients and family are prepared and are set up to be successful because surgery is a big undertaking and it is a big risk and we want to make sure the benefits outweigh the risks.”
Ickes was deemed a good candidate for the weight loss surgery because she consistently followed a healthy lifestyle and wasn’t seeing results. Overall, she’s received great feedback, although some have negative opinions on her and her family’s choice to move ahead with surgery.
“Some people think of it as the easy way out,” said Ickes. “I look at it as if they doubt, that makes me try harder.”
The truth of the matter is she’s never been happier.
“I just never thought it was going to happen,” said Ickes. “But, it’s happening.”
Not all participants in the program are there for weight loss, it’s really to help patients and families learn to live a healthy lifestyle. Dr. Walston encourages families to reach out with questions and know if your child is struggling with weight her and the rest of the team might be able to help.
“Not everybody is on a level playing field when it comes to weight loss,” said Dr. Walston. “It’s hard to compare one person’s journey to another. But, we know this can be a helpful treatment for those patients who are doing everything right but not seeing the outcome they want.
For more information on Akron Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Active Living Program click here.
