Phoenix Fitness Foundation addresses a documented, high-stakes gap in bariatric aftercare — using validated clinical tools, trained professionals, and a subsidy model designed to reach patients regardless of income.
Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective medical interventions for severe obesity and related comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. But surgical success and sustained health outcomes are not the same thing. The research consistently shows that without structured behavioral support in the years following surgery, most patients experience significant weight regain and the re-emergence of the conditions surgery was intended to resolve.
The gap is not a lack of patient motivation — it's a mismatch between the complexity of behavioral change required and the level of support available. Traditional fitness programs assume a degree of health self-management that most post-surgical patients have not yet developed. The result is a cycle of failure and shame that compounds the clinical challenge.
Phoenix closes that gap with a structured, evidence-based approach grounded in the Patient Activation Measure — and makes it accessible to patients across the income spectrum through a nonprofit subsidy model.
Our pilot focuses on the bariatric surgery population, where the need is acute and the evidence base is clear. The Phoenix model, however, is designed to serve any population for whom fitness is a critical component of a long-term health journey — including those managing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer recovery. Expansion into those populations is a natural next horizon as the pilot matures.
Geography: Denver, Colorado — with multi-site expansion planned.
Timeline: 12–18 month pilot phase.
Clients served: Approximately 30 participants.
Trainer network: 6 certified trainers in initial cohort.
Subsidy model: 10% fully subsidized, 80% reduced-cost, 10% full-pay.
Primary outcome measure: PAM-13 activation score improvement.
Pilot budget: $259,127 over 18 months — covering trainer subsidies, program operations, personnel, and administrative costs.
Expert fitness coaching has historically been a service available to those who can afford it. The Phoenix subsidy model ensures that low- and moderate-income bariatric patients have access to the same quality of aftercare support as higher-income patients.
We measure success using the PAM-13 — a clinically validated tool used by health systems, insurers, and researchers worldwide. Funders receive outcome data tied to a recognized, peer-reviewed measurement standard.
The Phoenix model is designed for replication. The trainer certification program, PAM-based coaching framework, and healthcare partnership model can be deployed in additional markets and populations as the organization grows.
Phoenix Fitness Foundation is currently operating under fiscal sponsorship, which enables us to receive tax-deductible contributions while our 501(c)(3) application is pending. We are actively pursuing grant funding from foundations aligned with health equity, behavioral health, and chronic disease prevention.
We welcome conversations with institutional funders, family foundations, and individual donors who share our commitment to evidence-based, equitable health intervention.
To discuss a grant, major gift, or other funding arrangement, please reach out directly.
Colorado Health Foundation — Health equity and chronic disease prevention focus, Colorado-based.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation — National health equity and health behavior research focus.
Community Development Block Grant Program — Federal funding stream for community-based health and wellness services.