We recently sat down with Shannon McMann, DO, FACOI, DipABOM, to discuss her experience being the captain for team “Pesta’s Pride” again this year for National Walk from Obesity Day. Shannon helped to lead her team to become the top fundraising team again this year – winning the President’s Cup Trophy. #NationalWFODay is TREO Foundation’s annual virtual Walk from Obesity which helps raise awareness and funds for obesity treatment efforts by encouraging participants to walk or perform other healthy activities. Participation is done virtually by sharing a photo or video to social media of the healthy activity with the hashtag #NationalWFODay.

TREO Foundation: Hi Shannon! Welcome back to another interview and congratulations to you and your team for taking home the President’s Cup Trophy again this year. Tell us, how does it feel to bring another trophy home to Michigan? Now that your team has two trophies, will you and Dr. Pesta each be taking one?

Shannon: Thank you, it is great to be back to support the TREO Foundation. We are elated to win back-to-back President’s Cup Trophies! We have decided to display both trophies at Dr. Pesta’s office to honor and motivate our team of walkers as they come into the office for their bariatric check-ups. We are challenging our team members to help us achieve a “Three-peat”!

TREO Foundation: Even though the event is a virtual Walk, your team chose to “meet up” and walk together last year. Did you do the same this year? Tell us about your team this year and where you all walked.

Shannon: Yes! We walked independently on National WFO Day, and then met up as a team at a local park on Sunday. During our group walk, Dr. Pesta interviewed each team member on Facebook live. We shared our stories, our wins, our struggles, and then I did a short talk on weight management medications.

TREO Foundation: #NationalWFODay is a big awareness event for the Foundation, but the trophy is awarded based on fundraising results. Do you have any tips for folks on how you and your team approached your fundraising efforts this year?

Shannon: We emphasized the importance of raising monies for Obesity research, and that every dollar is a step towards treating and reducing Obesity. We receive donations by sharing our stories on social media. This increases awareness surrounding the disease of obesity and the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery.

TREO Foundation: Thank you again for your support and taking the time to chat with us today. In closing, what would you say to folks that did not participate this year and why do you think they should consider starting a team next year? Is there anyone you would like to challenge to participate next year?

Shannon: Walking is an accessible tool to improve mental and physical health. Community support is also a vital part of battling the disease of Obesity. I want to give a big thank you and shout out to BariNation (@bari.nation), Drs. Cribbins and Chen (@one_operation_changes_life), and of course Marty The Office Corgi (@Marty_the_office_corgi) for building a team and hosting walks in both Seattle and Dallas. Also, I would like to recognize and thank Brenda Hoehn and ProCare Health (@ProCarenow) for hosting a successful walk in St. Louis and for their unwavering support for the Bariatric community. I would like to invite some of my favorite obesity treatment/bariatric advocates to form or join a team in 2025: The Bariatric Society (@bariatricsociety), Body by Bariatrics (@BodyByBariatrics), Surgical Associates of Bayonet Point (@sabp_weightloss), Our Sleeved Life Podcast (OSLP @oursleevedlifepodcast), Dr. Joe Greene (#GreenesMachines @drjoegreene), and POP Recovery Systems (@poprecoverysystems).

TREO Foundation: Thank you again and we look forward to seeing what team Pesta’s Pride does in 2025! Stay tuned for details about this year’s virtual Walk!

Team Photo: