Founder of the Synergy Weight Loss Centre and Medical Spa, Dr. Mareshah Yorrick-Dos Santos is a ‘Special Person’

Jul 21, 2024 Features / Columnists, News, Special Person, Waterfalls Magazine

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Seamlessly blending her medical expertise with entrepreneurship to offer a unique service…

“My ultimate goal is in enhance my patients’ overall well-being and aesthetic appearance through a combination of medical and spa treatments…”

By Rehanna Ramsay

Waterfalls Magazine – About five years ago, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Dr. Mareshah Yorrick-Dos Santos embarked on an entrepreneurial journey to offer Guyanese a unique service which includes medical care and spa treatments.

She named the venture Synergy Weight Loss Centre and Medical Spa, in honour of her work as a medical professional as well as her incredible weight loss journey. Today, the weight loss centre and spa which located at Lot 540 Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt caters to the needs of scores of people on a weekly basis.

“We cater for individuals seeking non-surgical aesthetic enhancements, those interested in skin care, wellness seekers, post-procedure patients, post-partum mommies, or those struggling to keep weight off. Our goal is to enhance the health as well as their overall appearance.”

Dr. Yorrick -Dos Santos told The Waterfalls that she was looking for a way to offer Guyanese a service that catered to their health as well as their physical aesthetics.

“My focus is holistic health solutions so I wanted to offer a service where people can be treated medically and come out feeling refreshed, renewed and good about themselves… I wanted it to be under the same roof,” the doctor said.

She explained that having worked as a doctor for the past decade and struggled with her health almost her entire life, I understand the importance of not just being healthy but looking and feeling good.

“I struggled with my weight almost all my life. Growing up, I was always a chubby girl, it messed with my confidence so I understand what people with similar issues go through and I have equipped myself to help.”

Against this backdrop, this week’s Special Person seamlessly blends compassionate care, with her medical expertise to enable her clients to become the best versions of themselves. Her efforts are guided by a profound commitment to enhancing lives through integrated healthcare solutions.

As a dedicated medical doctor and businesswoman, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos understands of her clientele needs. She has done enough research to understand their aesthetic need and cater for them through her unique approach to medical and spa treatments.

FAITH AND EDUCATION

Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos grew up in a lower middle class Guyanese household. Her family of four included her parents, Brian and Michelle Yorrick and her younger brother Brian Yorrick Jnr.

She said that as a child, she had a very contented life, where her parents prioritized faith and education.

“For my parents, having a relationship with God was first and then ensuring your academic was in top order was next… My mom being a disciplinarian, I had no choice but to perform to the best of my ability,” Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos explained.  She added nonetheless that she did have her fair share of academic challenges.

She shared, “I had an interesting journey through high school since my parents never allowed me to settle for less. When I passed common entrance, I got St. John’s College but after First Form, I was pushed to attend the Central High School and as if that was not enough as my grades improved, I was pushed even further…by my parents to move to St. Joseph High school in Third Form.”

“I decided to stay there because I was tired of moving… So, I wrote CXC there and after that I embarked on a government scholarship to study medicine in Cuba. My inspiration to study medicine came from my grandmother who was a breast cancer survivor. After that a friend of my family encouraged me to pursue medicine…”

She asserted, “After having my grandma that had breast cancer suffered so much…I was like I need to help my grandma so I decide to launch out into the field.” Consequently, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos’ path to becoming a medical doctor was paved with determination.

Equipped with government scholarship to study medicine at Victoria de Giron de Ciencias Medicas in Cuba, the then young aspirant doctor read for medical degree and later, she graduated in 2014.

WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY

Armed with a solid foundation in General Medicine, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos furthered her expertise by completing a postgraduate programme in Pediatric Nutrition from Boston University School of Medicine.  After about five year of practising medicine, the doctor was inspired by her own weight loss journey to start her business. “Growing up, I was always a chubby girl so I grew up with friends who were very skinny and when you hit puberty, there is a lot of peer pressure…I was there being taunted now and again trying to what they would call ‘fit in’.”

She explained that determination to look and feel better drove her to lose over 40 pounds in less than five months.

“My weight loss journey was birthed with the use of diet. I had low carb, high protein, vitamin therapy from my knowledge in medicine and basic lifestyle changes and then after that the use of Lipo Cavitation to contour the midsection. All non-surgical treatments were done on me by myself. I was my own guinea pig.”

She then started her own health journey with only diet and with the knowledge she has in the medical field correlates with her ability to live a healthy lifestyle and over all losing weight.

Her transformation was noticed by close friends and relative who encourage her to provide a service to others, and so she did.

Today, her commitment to holistic health solutions led her to establish Synergy Weight Loss Centre and Medical Spa, a testament to her vision of helping individuals regain confidence in their bodies.

LIFE’S REWARDS

Beyond her thriving career, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos cherishes her roles as a mother, wife, and friend. She acknowledges the challenges of balancing her professional endeavours with family life but emphasizes the importance of quality time with loved ones.

Her unwavering support system comprises of her husband, Andrew Dos Santos, her parents, and clients.  This serves as a cornerstone of her resilience and motivation.

“My mom is what they would call in the Christian world, a ‘prayer warrior’. Her prayers really keep me.” She expressed that being a businesswoman comes with many challenges but her husband and father are constantly motivating her to keep going.

However, she noted her clients are the ones who encourage her the most, “the smile on their faces, the feeling of satisfaction after a session and every referral are motivation to push harder.”

Reflecting on her journey, the doctor says she views each day as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Her weight loss journey stands as a testament to her dedication to personal wellness, resonating deeply in her professional endeavours.

In essence, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos’ story is one of resilience, compassion, and unwavering determination, inspiring those around her to aspire for greater heights in health and wellness.

Looking ahead, she said, she envisions her businesses as a leading educational hub in medical and cosmetic treatments in Guyana.

Driven by the smiles of satisfaction from her clients and fueled by her relentless pursuit of quality, Dr. Yorrick-Dos Santos aspires to continuously innovate and inspire those around her to reach their wellness goals.

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• aesthetic, combination, Dr. Mareshah Yorrick-Dos Santos, Synergy Weight Loss Centre and Medical Spa, treatments

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