Medical Weight Loss Clinic staff goes the extra mile for patients with breast cancer

The timing seemed uncanny to Tracy Stefanides, manager of the Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Shelby Township.

In late September, she received calls from two separate patients within 12 hours – each with devastating news. One had a diagnosis of breast cancer and the other just found out her daughter was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. On the very the same day, she saw a post on social media that promoted a new-to-her 5K run for a local organization that supports women with breast cancer. 

Medical Weight Loss Clinic Manager Tracy Stefanides and Medical Assistant Connie George-Jones, of our Shelby clinic, recently participated in the Pink Hugs 5K Your Way in support of patients and patients’ family members who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Pink Hugs is a wonderful chapter out of Lapeer County and they are all about helping women diagnosed with breast cancer,” Tracy says. “I came into work and told Connie ‘I am going to sign up for this breast cancer run.’ Connie said, ‘Sign me up, too.”

Connie George-Jones is a medical assistant at our Shelby Township clinic. She had never run a 5k race before and didn’t have enough time to train – but eagerly participated all the same.

Tracy was so pleased to find Pink Hugs and to support a small, local non-profit that raises money to directly help women in the area – whether they need financial or personal support. The organizer, Patti Waldrup, also runs a private Facebook Group where members can go for support and community.

Tracy told her patients about the organization and urged them to check out PinkHugs.org to learn more about the ways the group may be able to help them.

Only a week and a half later, Tracy and Connie were lacing up their running shoes to race the 3rd annual Pink Hugs 5K Your Way in River Bends Park. It was held on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023, just prior to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“It was just fun,” Tracy says. “The people were friendly. I want to help and this is one way I can do that.”

She gave her patients all the raffle prizes she won - ranging from jewelry to a high-quality backpack, a shawl, pink ribbon pins and keychains – just to let them know she is here for them.

Supporting our Medical Weight Loss Clinic patients doesn’t begin and end at the clinic doors. While patients learn how to eat and live healthier on their personalized programs, they must pause their weight loss efforts when a diagnosis like breast cancer arises. But the support doesn’t end. Tracy encourages her patients to stay in touch. She calls periodically just to check on them and always welcomes them for a friendly visit, even while their personalized plan is on hold.

“We are cheerleaders for their lives, not just in general for weight loss,” she adds. “This race is going to be something I do every year because of the cause.”

To learn more about Pink Hugs, visit PinkHugs.org.

Interested to learn more about Medical Weight Loss Clinic? Sign up for a free consultation today at mwlc.com.

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When you enroll in a Medical Weight Loss Clinic program, the length of your program will be determined by you and the staff based on the amount of weight you want to lose and how quickly you want to lose it. Your actual weight loss will be determined by many factors, including, but not limited to: your medical circumstances, the plan you choose, adherence to the meal plan and use of nutritional supplements. Your goal and program duration information will be given to you in writing at the time of enrollment. As your program progresses, the rate you lose weight may change and you will have the opportunity to discuss this at every daily visit with your weight loss consultant, where changes to your meal plan and/or program can be made.