Service in

Weight Loss and Weight Loss Surgery Support Groups

M Health Fairview offers support groups for patients who are considering, preparing for, or have had weight loss surgery.

Our approach

Our Fairview Comprehensive Weight Management program offers on-line support groups for patients who are working on weight loss and healthy living. And for those focusing on a healthy lifestyle before and after weight-loss surgery. There is no cost for this opportunity.

Patients and their support system are invited to attend the Virtual Support Groups provided by any of the following locations:

  1. Southdale via Microsoft Teams with Dawn Cleveland, RN
  2. Maplewood via Microsoft Teams with Paul Bagdade, PhD, LP
  3. Maplewood via Microsoft Teams with Emily Feig, RN
  4. University of Minnesota via a Zoom Meeting with Barbara Sampson, RN

Click on the link here to view information about our Comprehensive Weight Management Program that supports weight-loss and long-term weight management.

 

Fairview Southdale
WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY SUPPORT GROUP

The support group is a patient-lead forum that meets monthly to share experiences, encouragement and education. It is open to those who have had weight loss surgery, are scheduled for surgery, or are considering surgery.


WHEN: 3rd Wednesday of each month from 5:00PM – 6:00PM using Microsoft Teams.


FACILITATOR: Dawn Cleveland, RN


TO REGISTER: Please contact the clinic via MyChart or call the nurse line directly at 952-345-4198 to inform our staff that you would like an invite sent to you and to let us know the email you would like the invite sent to. Prior to the meeting, a link with directions on how to join the meeting will be sent to you.


2026 Meetings, 3rd Wednesday, 5:00pm – 6:00pm  

  • September 16: Lisa Hady, PsyD, LP

  • October 21

  • November 18

  • December 16

 

Fairview Clinics and Specialty Center - Maplewood
CONNECTIONS BARIATRIC SUPPORT GROUP

This is open to all pre- and post- operative bariatric surgery patients as well as their support system.


WHEN: 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM using Microsoft Teams.


FACILITATOR: Paul Bagdade, Ph.D a Licensed Psychologist with the Fairview Comprehensive Weight Management Program.


TO REGISTER: Please send an email to Paul Bagdade, Ph.D., LP at paul.bagdade@fairview.org if you would like an invitation to the group. Prior to the meeting, a link with directions on how to join the meeting will be sent to you.


2026 Meetings, 3rd Tuesday, 6:30p - 8:00p

  • September 15

  • October 20

  • November 17

  • December 15

 

CONNECTIONS POST-OPERATIVE BARIATRIC SURGERY SUPPORT GROUP

This is a support group for M Health Fairview bariatric patients (and those external to M Health Fairview) who have had bariatric surgery and are at least 3 months post-surgery.

WHEN: 4th Thursday of the month from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM using Microsoft Teams.

FACILITATOR: Certified Bariatric Nurse, Emily Feig, RN, CBN.

TO REGISTER: Please send an email to Emily at emily.feig@fairview.org if you would like an invitation to the group. Prior to the meeting, a link with directions on how to join the meeting will be sent to you.


2026 Meetings, 4th Thursday, 11:00am – 12:00pm

  • August 27

  • September 24

  • October 22

  • November 26: No meeting

  • December 24

 

M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SUPPORT GROUP

This group is for those who want to lead a healthier lifestyle. Come together to gain information, set goals and overcome barriers in a supportive group environment. We can address the four pillars of health and other health topics: nutrition, exercise, sleep, and emotional well-being.


WHEN: 1st Friday of the month, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM using a Zoom meeting.


FACILITATOR: Certified bariatric nurse, Barbara K Sampson, MS, RN, CIC, CBN


TO REGISTER: Please call the Customer Solutions Center at 612-336-2727 to register. You will get an appointment to attend in MyChart. Fifteen minutes prior to the meeting, complete the e-check in and you will get the link to join the meeting.  There is no charge to attend this group. Please register for each month you wish to attend


2026 Meetings, 1st Friday, 12:30pm - 1:30pm

  • September 4: “Overview of Current Weight-loss Medications”, Paige Turenne, PharmD

  • October 2: Open Forum

  • November 6: “Eating in the Real World”, Lindsay Weisberg, RD, LD

  • December 4: Open Forum, Reflections on 2026 and Refocusing for 2027

  • January 1: No meeting

  • February 5: Open Forum

  • March 5: Dietitian Speaker