In 2018 the Gold Coast experienced the largest sporting event in the state’s history with the Commonwealth Games.
Come 2032, the Summer Olympics are set to take up that mantle.
The irony of hosting these events, showcasing the best in health and fitness in a time when obesity is epidemic in Queensland, is not lost on leading wellness specialist and WLSA CEO Felicity Cohen.
The sunshine state might attract sporting events and athletes in droves, but we can’t hold back the tide of an increasingly unhealthy population.
For over 20 years, Felicity has been a passionate advocate for helping thousands of Australians find solutions to treating obesity and health related complications, through both surgical intervention and holistic managed care.
“WLSA is about providing a complete arsenal of tools to educate people on making smarter choices to become the best versions of themselves,” says Felicity.
“The pathway to wellness isn’t simply about weight loss alone, but rather a holistic one that incorporates several key lifestyle changes and practices that can and will reshape your life.”
WLSA was established in 1999 and has since been recognised nationally and internationally for its model of care in managing patients requiring weight loss surgery.
Last year, Felicity won the Gold Coast Woman in Business of the Year Award and is an active sponsor and mentor to the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders.
Speaking at Early Risers Gold Coast Women in Business Club for International Women’s Day, Felicity has every intention of helping to break the bias, the theme of this year’s global celebration.
“I think women in leadership positions are so often judged firstly on their appearance rather than what they are saying,” she says.
“When it comes to weight management and patients in the population, weight bias or weight stigma is a huge issue.
“We really need to work together to eradicate this within our community and encourage less judgement on how we look.
“I really want to get behind stopping the bias through my role as CEO of WLSA, especially when it comes to weight management.”
To Felicity, research is fundamental in the wellness space and in recent years, she has focused on expanding this component of the business.
“Research has been a key area of our growth and development,” she says.
“We’ve got two masters students who work within the clinic, I sponsor a full-time PhD and we’ve recently brought on a new director of research.
“This is the only way we’re going to achieve better progress and outcomes in our patient population and it’s what will lead us into the future.”
With a multitude of projects currently on the go that are research orientated, WLSA has also begun putting existing research to use.
“We collect so much data and we want to make meaning of that not just in Australia but also internationally to show that what we are doing is so powerful in terms of impact and outcomes for patients,” she says.
“I know that having a multi-disciplinary team support our patients brings about better results.
“It’s not just about how much weight a patient is going to lose within a particular time frame, we want to look at the trajectory of their life and future.”
In the coming months, Felicity is hoping to begin clinical trials, something WLSA has previously found success with.
“I’m hoping to get back into this space where we’re working with device technology companies and overseas companies who are looking for research partners.“In Queensland we are so attractive for these research and development opportunities.
“Our systems are so effective, we’ve got great ethics committees, universities that love research and we’ve got the hospitals and infrastructure to support the running of these projects.
“When you’re looking at new device technology, it’s innovation that brings about what will shape the future of bariatric surgery.
“Being at the forefront of research opportunities is really exciting and I love being able to put us on the map in terms of where we sit in the worldwide scheme of things with innovative research and continually improving programs for patients.”
In early 2021, Felicity launched a new podcast series set to change the way we approach holistic health.
Wellness Warriors, accessible on Apple, YouTube and Spotify, debuted in January and aims to help people understand that weight loss is only a small part of the road to health and wellbeing.
Themed around wellness, Felicity talks to a variety of specialists from all around the world from doctors to athletes and more.
“Wellness is so vast, it’s such a huge space but health and wellbeing are your foundation for absolutely everything,” she says.
“We might be talking about meditation, habit changing or mindfulness and how that relates to our patient population and people in general.
“The topics cover ideas outside the traditional consulting space and explore what success looks like alongside all those wellness components.”
At the end of every podcast episode, Felicity asks her guest what wellness means to them, enjoying the diversity in each response.
When asked the same question, her response was:
“The first foundation to wellness for me is to look after your body,” she says.
“Find the time to be mobile and focus on not only your functional fitness, but also enjoying those activities and getting out in nature.
“Look after every function of your body and that includes physical fitness, nutrition and mental health.”
Website: felicitycohen.com
WLSA website: wlsa.com.au