Ten months ago, the Guyana Obesity Association (AGO) was created. This Thursday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rémire-Montjoly town hall, a meeting will be held around diabetes and metabolic pathologies. Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo, president of the AGO, will share her fight and her victories.
We’re not going to show you a “before” photo of her to compare her to the woman she is today. Because the change that took place in Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo goes beyond the weight loss which took her from the stage of “morbid obesity” to “moderate obesity”.
The turning point will take place in March 2023 for this forty-year-old, mother of four children. “Before, my weight had never been a problem. But during a check-up, it was discovered that I suffered from diabetes. It was a shock. Especially since my father suffers from it. When we know about the disease, when we see that some sick people are amputated, that others die, we say to ourselves that we might die. I wondered what I would become.”
Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo was then referred by her attending physician to the endocrino-diabetology department of the Cayenne Hospital Center. “There was a complete team there with a mobile unit for monitoring diabetic patients. The disease and its consequences were clearly explained to me, telling me that I had to lose weight because it played a major role in diabetes. »
Around Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo, a sort of task force is deployed: psychologist, doctor, nurse, dietician, teacher of adapted physical activity… “We are told “eat, move” or “5 fruits and vegetables a day”. But how do we do this? asks Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo. HASWith them, I learned to rebalance my diet with all the nutrients. That’s what made me lose weight. I no longer talk about diets or miracle products. It doesn’t exist! »
Another important aspect of his new behavior: the integration of sport. “ I didn’t like it! she says, laughing. The first time, I told the teacher that I didn’t know if I was going to come back… But I came back. She took the time to chat with me and show me how to enjoy physical activity. » Since then, walking, weight training and swimming have become part of his routine.
Three months after the analyzes that started it all, Jennifer takes stock again: “all the lights were green for diabetes”.
The idea of creating a patient association, like the one that exists for diabetic patients, came from caregivers. They organize a first meeting with the people being monitored and the sauce takes off. From the outset, Jennifer wants to invest in sharing her experience. “We had to hear the voices of patients. Between us, we can understand each other better. » The Guyana Obesity Association (AGO) was created in February 2024. Among its missions: to bring together people experiencing obesity to place them at the center of their care. A first awareness-raising action is carried out at the territorial hotel in March for World Obesity Day. Other events will follow such as “Swimming without complexes”, a day dedicated to swimming which was a great success. Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo intends to ride this wave. “Why not offer this operation in other municipalities in Guyana? » Determined to move the needle, the president of the AGO is full of ideas: “we want to organize discussion groups for patients, share sporting moments. We would also like there to be a real service dedicated to the management of obesity. »
First public meeting during World Obesity Day – March 2024 CTG • ©DR
Another objective, and not the least, is also targeted by the association and its president: changing the way we look at obesity. “The obese person must feel accepted, declares Jennifer Frédéric Sabajo, although I do not encourage staying in this situation when there are health risks. Sometimes, when we see someone obese, we say to them “ah, you eat too much”. However, behind the physical, there is sometimes something else: the person’s experience, psychological problems, difficulties in their environment…”
Currently made up of 130 members, the AGO invites all people concerned by the issue of obesity to contact it: associationguyane.obesite@gmail.com
In 2019, INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) estimated that 51% of Guyanese were overweight or obese compared to 47% in mainland France.
