Gisborne teacher Faren Ormond's trip to India and weight-loss journey were documented for an upcoming Māori TV series. Photo / Supplied
A Gisborne teacher’s life-changing weight-loss journey from 138kg to an eventual weight of 74kg was documented on camera and will soon be shared with the country.
Faren Ormond (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is one of the stars of a new documentary series, Pukunati: Lose Weight or Die, starting next week on Whakaata Māori (Māori Television Service).
Ormond, 34, is a qualified primary school teacher and a mother of four children. The series followed her trip to Kerala, India, to access bariatric surgery (gastric sleeve).
Ormond told the Gisborne Herald she was excited about the upcoming public premiere.
“I’m very much looking forward to it and sharing my experience and journeying with the world,” she said.
Documentary participants spoke in te reo Māori 70% of the time, as well as English. Ormond said she had conversational ability in the language.
The eight-part series also followed the treatment journey of Rotorua journalist Roihana Nuri (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Gujarati).
“In recent years, a growing number of Māori have been travelling to countries in Asia such as Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and India to access more affordable medical and dental procedures. The costs for treatments like bariatric surgery or dental implants can be a fraction of New Zealand prices, even after factoring in flights and accommodation,” a statement from Whakaata Māori said.
“Pukunati: Lose Weight or Die presents the stories of two relatively young Māori who did not qualify for publicly-funded surgery in Aotearoa and chose to pursue their dreams of a healthier future, overseas."
Ormond said her health journey began in April 2023.
“I’m almost two years post-op. I had my surgery on November 5, 2023. So that was called the bariatric surgery – gastric sleeve.”
The treatment was much cheaper in India than going down the private healthcare route in New Zealand.
“So, it’s $7000 over in India. Here in New Zealand, it ranges from $20,000 to $25,000. And that’s just the surgery, that’s not any additional costs on top. There is a public list, but you could be waiting anywhere between three to seven years to be seen. Otherwise, you pay private, which is where the $20,000 to $25,000 [comes from].”
Ormond said she was introduced to the opportunity to be a part of the documentary after reaching out to her aunt (her mother’s first cousin), medical tourism agent Annette Brons (Te Arawa).
“She has a side business where she refers people for bariatric surgery and dental work, and other cosmetic surgeries.
“I reached out to her and asked if she had a finance plan or payment plan. She said, no, she didn’t, but there was a documentary opportunity in which you just share your story all in Māori.”
Ormond asked if a meeting could be arranged with the documentary director.
“I ended up meeting the director, told her a little bit about my story, and she was keen to take me on as one of the talents.”
The series producer and director is Ngahuia Wade (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) from Lake Rotomā-based film and television production company Te Noni Ltd.
Ormond felt positively about her experience with the surgery in India.
“The nurses, they were very caring, so it reminded me of family and how you’re present, and you genuinely care about that person’s wellbeing. I really was able to connect with the nurses, even the surgeon, he was able to walk me through the procedure in a way that I understood. It wasn’t too clinical. He broke it right down. So yeah, it felt like I was family.”
Not long after her treatment, Ormond became pregnant and gave birth a year ago. Despite that, she has still had significant weight loss from her starting weight of 138kg.
“It’s not the easy way out. You don’t wake up skinny; you still have to put in some kind of work and reprogram and rewire your brain into how to eat all over again. But it’s the best tool to kick-start your weight loss. I could have never lost 50kg on my own.
“Like some people like to believe, you know, they think, all you need to do is go to the gym and eat healthy, but I tried all of that. I really did, and it just didn’t work.”
Since the birth of her baby, Ormond has continued to work on her health while at home with her child.
“I’m currently not working at the moment, which has been a godsend. I’ve just been able to work on my health and my mindset, and my wellness all this year. I’ve just been at home, working on my eating, my wellness, exercise, and I’m looking at going back to work next year,” Ormond said.
“I feel amazing. I feel the best I ever have, you know, compared to my 20s, my 30s have just changed my life, changed my worldview too.”
The first episode of the series is on Monday, September 1, at 7.30pm. It concludes on Monday, October 20, at 7.30pm. It will also be available on demand on MĀORI+.