By Kelly Morgan (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Hansbury before his surgery.

Hansbury 187 pounds thinner

Sometimes exercising just isn’t enough.

Kevin Hansbury, 32, the director of residence life, lost 187 pounds during the last 16 months after undergoing gastric bypass surgery and running three to four times a week.

The thought of having surgery never crossed his mind until he began experiencing symptoms of diabetes.

“I had the symptoms of a diabetic for one and a half years,” Hansbury said. “I had frequent urination, dry skin, a constant thirst, blurred vision and tingling.”

Hansbury told a friend’s mother, also a diabetic, about his symptoms.

His blood sugar level, at 462, was well above the regular level of blood sugar, from 75 to 120. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2006.

Hansbury had been doing everything he could to lose weight.

“I was eating healthy, exercising regularly, seeing a dietitian and a personal trainer,” Hansbury said. “I lost 150 pounds on my own.”

Hansbury refused to say what his weight is now.

A Type-1 diabetic, Hansbury always will be insulin-dependent.

“After taking the insulin, the weight came right back on,” he said. “I went from seven shots a day to one after the surgery. Some days, I’ll take two.”

Hansbury considered gastric bypass surgery because he ran out of ways to lose weight.

“I used to be against the surgery,” he said. “It wasn’t until I was able to say that I tried everything possible to lose weight and I couldn’t, did I agree to go through with it.”

On May 20, 2009, Hansbury had gastric bypass surgery.

During the surgery, the stomach is cut in two to create a pouch; this is attached to the small intestine and bypasses the large part of the stomach.

“I know the surgery saved my life,” he said. “It took my own will and determination to get my health where I wanted it to be.”

Hansbury does not want people to think gastric bypass surgery is the only reason he lost almost 200 pounds.

“There’s a lot of myths that it’s a quick fix,” Hansbury said. “To be successful, you have to be 100 percent committed to a new lifestyle.”

Hansbury’s new lifestyle began on March 16 when he started running with Dr. Jessica James, associate professor of history and American studies.

“Running is something I never thought I could do,” Hansbury said. “Not even one mile.”

James has been running since 2001.

“I knew we would be good partners,” James said. “We had similar goals. I was starting from scratch and he had never run.”

Hansbury and James said they were positive influences on each other.

“Being the teacher requires me to show up,” James said. “Having him depend on me, gave me the motivation to show up and start over.”

Since May, both have run a 5K (3.2 miles) in May, a 10K (6.2 miles) in July, and a half-marathon (13.1 miles) in September.

In September, Hansbury completed the “ING Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon” in Philadelphia with James, and three others, including Amanda Kinkade, residence director of Zimmerman Hall.

“It was, surprisingly, a lot of fun,” Hansbury said. “The longest I ever ran before was 10.5 miles. The first thing I did after the race was register for the half-marathon in November.”

James was proud of Hansbury for finishing the half-marathon with her.

“We held hands across the finish line,” James said. “I almost hyperventilated because I was crying and breathing heavily at the end of the race.”

Kinkade runs with Hansbury and other faculty once a week at Delaware State University’s track. She believes Hansbury is an inspiration.

“To change your life so radically in just one year is inspiring,” Kinkade said. “He inspires me all the time to work harder and not give up.”