After years of struggling with obesity, Anita and Jim Steenson found a life-changing solution through the bariatric surgery program at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola. Today, the Pensacola couple has lost more than 300 pounds combined and is enjoying a healthier, more active life together.
For Anita, the emotional and physical challenges of obesity began early in life.
“I've had a lifelong struggle with my weight since I was a child,” Anita shared. “I remember being in the third grade and my teacher approaching my mother, telling her I was a distraction to the other children because they spent so much time teasing me about my weight. It’s been a lifelong battle.”
Jim also struggled with significant weight issues for much of his life. As a married couple, the Steensons spent years searching for solutions.
“We've tried all kinds of different things,” said Jim. “We've lost weight before, but we were never able to keep it off. That changed after meeting Dr. Gatmaitan and going through this program.”
Soon after moving to Pensacola in 2017, the couple connected with Dr. Patrick Gatmaitan and the bariatric care team at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola.
Jim underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery in April 2018 and has since lost more than 100 pounds. Inspired by her husband’s progress, Anita later chose to pursue surgery as well. She underwent gastric bypass surgery in February 2022 and has achieved a remarkable weight loss of more than 200 pounds.
Both procedures were performed by Dr. Gatmaitan, a bariatric surgeon at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, who emphasizes that surgery is just one step in a lifelong journey toward better health.
“Surgery, as I often tell patients, is the easy part of the journey,” Dr. Gatmaitan said. “Long-term success comes from the commitment patients make to lifestyle changes and ongoing support.”
The Ascension Sacred Heart bariatric program provides comprehensive care before and after surgery, including nutritional counseling, vitamin monitoring, and long-term health support designed to help patients sustain their results.
“The surgery obviously made a difference,” Anita said. “But it’s really the holistic lifestyle program that Dr. Gatmaitan focuses on that creates lasting change.”
As the couple approaches their 38th wedding anniversary, they say their shared commitment to the program has played a major role in their success. By following the same nutritional plan and supporting each other along the way, they were able to stay accountable and motivated.
“If the house had been stocked with a lot of junk food, it would have definitely made things much more difficult,” Anita said.
The lifestyle changes have led to remarkable improvements in their health. Jim no longer depends on a CPAP machine and has overcome high blood pressure. Anita, who once struggled to walk more than 50 to 100 feet without exhaustion, now enjoys traveling again.
“Being well over 300 pounds and not even five feet tall, I was fearful all the time,” Anita recalled. “Even doing things we enjoyed, like traveling, fitting into an airplane seat was a challenge and it was embarrassing.”
Now, the couple is looking forward to an active and fulfilling retirement.
“It's allowed me to do the things that fulfill me, and on a personal level it’s just been so freeing,” Anita said. “This whole journey has been very uplifting.”
When asked what message they would share with others struggling with obesity, the Steensons didn’t hesitate.
“Do it. This is what works,” Anita said.
Jim agrees that the support from the program’s care team has made a lasting difference.
“They help you develop a good nutritional plan and teach you everything you need to know,” he said.
Their journey serves as a hopeful reminder that with the right tools, medical guidance, and support system, lasting weight loss and improved health are possible.
