Obesity continues to be a significant public health challenge across the United States, including the Rio Grande Valley.
An estimated 100 to 126 million people nationwide are living with obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while nearly 10% are affected by severe obesity.
“From genetics and environment to stress and lifestyle habits, multiple influences make obesity one of the most challenging public health issues we face today,” says Luis Reyes, MD, a bariatric and general surgeon who serves as the medical director of the South Texas Health System (STHS) Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center. “It can take a heavy toll on a person’s health, independence and overall sense of well-being, affecting families and lives far beyond the numbers.”
Obesity is associated with more than 200 chronic diseases and health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and osteoarthritis, and contributes to one in five deaths in the United States each year, according to the American Journal of Public Health.
For some individuals working to lose excess weight and improve their health, bariatric surgery may serve as an important first step in a broader, long-term journey toward better health.
In the United States, nearly 280,000 patients undergo bariatric procedures each year, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), with sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass among the most performed surgeries.
Locally, the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center has helped individuals struggling with excess weight achieve long-term weight loss and improved health, supported by a team of board-certified surgeons.
“For individuals on a weight-loss journey, bariatric surgery can be a powerful turning point toward a healthier, more fulfilling life,” says Amy Flores, MSN, RN, Director, STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center. “Our patients are searching for lasting change, relief from health struggles, greater independence and hope for the future, and our team at STHS Heart is committed to supporting them throughout their entire journey.”
Bariatric surgery has been shown to deliver lasting, life-changing results, with a long-term success rate of approximately 68% to 74%, according to the ASMBS. Most patients are able to maintain 50% to 75% of their excess weight loss, and some studies indicate these outcomes can last for up to 20 years.
Beyond the numbers, Flores notes that many patients at the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center experience a renewed quality of life, gaining energy, confidence and relief from obesity-related health conditions that once limited their daily lives.
“Weight loss surgery is a proven tool that helps patients move toward better health, renewed confidence and an improved quality of life,” Flores says. “While it’s not an overnight solution, it marks the start of a hopeful, long-term journey, one supported by meaningful lifestyle changes that can lead to lasting success and a healthier future.”
To honor individuals who have achieved lasting success after bariatric surgery, the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center hosted its fourth annual Transformation Celebration Fashion Show on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
Highlighting women and men who have transformed their lives through weight loss surgery and sustained their success through healthy lifestyle choices such as proper nutrition and regular physical activity, this year’s event featured eight models, including married couple Danny and Dalia DeLuna, who underwent bariatric surgery less than five months apart in 2025.
After Dalia’s gastric bypass surgery in March 2025, she has lost 106 pounds, while her husband Danny has lost 143 pounds since his gastric sleeve surgery in July 2025, marking a powerful shared transformation for the couple.
“During the fashion show, Danny and I didn’t walk the runway together, which was a beautiful reflection of our individuality,” says Dalia, a licensed vocational nurse. “But we are a couple, and we’re incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished side by side. Watching him take the stage after me was such a powerful moment—it gave me the chance to celebrate his incredible journey just as joyfully as my own.”
“It’s truly amazing to have a built-in support system in my wife,” adds Danny, who never imagined he would one day walk the runway as a model. “We lift each other up and keep one another accountable every step of the way. Celebrating our success, surrounded by people who understand both the challenges and the victories of this journey, made the entire experience unforgettable.”
In addition to Danny and Dalia DeLuna, this year’s models included patients who have transformed their lives through bariatric surgery and a long-term commitment to healthy living: Nick Nevin Lucio, Nadya Gomez, Jose Luis Fuentes, Mayra Reyes, Rhonda Bradley, Rocio Garcia and Phylisia Tamayo. To date, the men and women have collectively lost 841 pounds as part of their weight-loss journeys.
“I was so excited to walk the runway because I never get to do something like that,” says Gomez, who has lost 116 pounds since undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in August 2021. “I have experienced such an incredible transformation that I wanted to celebrate it. Being able to wear something that made me feel beautiful, step onto the stage with confidence, and genuinely enjoy the moment was an empowering experience I will never forget.”
While two of the models had previously participated in the STHS Transformation Celebration, the others stepped onto the runway for the first time. Typically camera-shy, they drew strength from the energy of the crowd, proudly highlighting the discipline, resilience and courage it takes to choose health every day, pushing forward through setbacks, plateaus and doubt.
“Despite feeling slightly intimidated walking the runway for the first time, it was incredibly rewarding to have people admire the hard work I’ve put into maintaining a healthy weight over the past 15 years,” says Bradley, a longtime registered nurse and nursing leader at STHS Heart, who has kept off the 95 pounds she lost following
gastric sleeve surgery in September 2010. “Walking alongside these women and men was truly inspiring. They are remarkable and I’m leaving motivated to continue my own weight-loss journey.”
During the fashion show, the models showcased both casual and formal looks. As they walked the runway, the audience learned more about each participant and heard their weight-loss journeys shared in their own words.
“The Transformation Celebration Fashion Show is about more than fashion—it’s a joyful celebration of hope, resilience and the life-changing power of healthier living,” says Tom Castañeda, System Director of Marketing & Public Relations, STHS. “Seeing former patients step onto the runway with confidence and share their journeys is both inspiring and affirming, showing that with commitment, support and healthy lifestyle choices, lasting change can be achieved and celebrated.”
Named a Center of Excellence by Optum, the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center is designated as a fully accredited Bariatric Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program. This designation reflects the center’s commitment to meeting patients’ needs through multidisciplinary, high-quality, patient-centered care delivered by experienced surgeons and a dedicated clinical team. For more information about the STHS Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Center, visit southtexashealthsystemheart.com.
About South Texas Health System
South Texas Health System is a multi-facility healthcare system serving patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The system includes four acute care facility campuses with specialties in pediatrics, heart and vascular services, maternity and women’s health and trauma services. Inpatient and outpatient treatment for behavioral health needs and addictive disorders is also provided through the system's South Texas Health System Behavioral facility. South Texas Health System is affiliated with the South Texas Clinical Partners ACO, Prominence Health Plan and Cornerstone Regional Hospital. The system operates an advanced Level I Trauma Center at South Texas Health System McAllen, the first dedicated children’s facility and pediatric ER at South Texas Health System Children’s, the region’s only freestanding heart hospital and specialized cardiac ER at South Texas Health System Heart, and seven freestanding emergency rooms located in and around Weslaco, Mission, Edinburg, McAllen, Pharr and Alamo. For more information about the system and its comprehensive services, please visit www.southtexashealthsystem.com.
