TV personality Willis Raburu has just signed up to be Viva Serenity’s Wellness Ambassador. Willis is widely known for his larger-than-life and very bubbly personality, but not all know the struggles he has had to go through with his body weight which adversely affected his physical and mental health. The body shaming comments after every social media post and uneasy travel experiences notwithstanding. This however is now a thing of the past after he made the decision to go through bariatric surgery through Viva Serenity to help him lose weight. This decision was informed by the amazing and admirable life-changing experience that another public figure Big Ted had successfully undergone. Before making that crucial decision, Willis visited Viva Serenity’s Dr. Theophilus Wangata who was very concerned about the high cholesterol levels that Willis was dangerously living with. This had unknowingly led to him having hypertension and other serious health complications at a young age. It is at this point that Dr. Theo made Willis understand why the surgery was the best option for him. He now joins the Viva Serenity Family as a weight loss ambassador even as he continues with his own wellness journey. At Viva Serenity, Wellness Is The Sole Purpose.

With a weight of 164 kilograms, Willis Raburu toyed around with the idea of having bariatric surgery for about a year until he finally decided to have the surgery locally where the father of two knew he would feel closer to his family. The Gastric Bypass Surgery procedure was successful, though, like every patient who goes through major surgery, he had to bear with the healing and recovery process which included a strict diet. This diet naturally and slowly transformed into one which he had to work with and maintain in keeping with his new lifestyle after the bariatric surgery.

The transformation post-surgery was impressive and Willis had lost more weight than he had ever lost while using other weight loss techniques he had previously tried. Barely 9 months later, at 132 kilograms, Willis is still on the journey of weight loss and is determined to get to his preferred body weight depending on his body mass index (BMI) with the help of Viva Serenity’s resident nutritionist, Japheth Winstone who from time to time keeps him in check. Willis Raburu is now able to easily carry out activities he was unable to do in the past. For this reason, he most recently accepted to be Viva Serenity’s brand ambassador, signing a contract that will be of benefit to both parties. This contract will act as a motivating factor for Willis to maintain a healthy lifestyle while at the same time educating the public on considering bariatric surgery as a weight loss solution.

At the signing ceremony, Willis Raburu was well received with pomp and color as Kuza African Sanaa dancers and acrobats performed for him. The signing of the contract will allow Willis to travel all over the country as a success story to create awareness and encourage people living with obesity and overweight issues to follow suit and make the same life-changing decision that he and many others chose to take. This will be achieved owing to the fact that he is in the public eye and many times considered a role model to Kenyans of all ages and social backgrounds. During the unveiling ceremony of Willis Raburu as Viva Serenity’s brand ambassador, he revealed that his main aim is to ensure that particularly fathers and men, in general, take charge of their health by making sure they live a healthy lifestyle and make healthy decisions for the successful legacy of their families.

This also broadens up a discussion in the medical sector within the country on inbound medical tourism where Kenya can receive patients from outside the country for specialized healthcare services. These are among the services already offered by Viva Serenity which is determined to expand the exponential potential of the healthcare system in Kenya which is blessed to have some of the best medical services which are as good as any services offered abroad. Viva Serenity is ready to inform all Kenyans about the medical options available locally and abroad instead of making uninformed decisions.

Having done the surgery locally, Willis Raburu also benefited from one of Viva Serenity’s affiliate brands known as Housepital, a homecare service that brings quality medical services at the comfort of your home. Housepital is a brand under Precise Healthcare, a medical facility based in Nairobi, Kenya. Willis decided to take this option owing to the fact that he had never been admitted to a hospital for any major surgical procedure and was of the idea that he needed major support and care from his family at home. This definitely made the healing and recovery process much smoother and faster than expected. As a brand ambassador, Willis will also represent Viva Serenity’s affiliate brands to promote health, wellness and medical tourism both locally and abroad.

At the signing ceremony, Willis had an exciting discussion with another brand ambassador, Faith Mukiri who did her bariatric surgery in Dubai in the U.A.E and now weighs 90 kilograms from an initial 122 kilograms, making her one of Viva Serenity’s greatest success stories. Viva Serenity encourages patients support groups to make their recovery easier and make them feel part of one Viva family. Other Viva Serenity ambassadors include Thomas Kwaka, the Consul General at Kenya’s consulate in Los Angeles, California in the United States of America, A.K.A Big Ted and Wema Sepetu, an actress and a former Miss Tanzania among others.