Paul Chatlin

Twelve years ago, I had a dream:

The World Must Know More About Nutrition

If it weren’t for my cardiologist, who understood the power of nutrition before reaching for pills or procedures, I wouldn’t be here sharing this message today. I wouldn’t have the platform that Plant Based Support has given me to help spread the word about nutritional health. Instead, I would likely have a 10-inch scar from bypass surgery, be facing future procedures, managing side effects from lifelong medications, and continuing my family’s long history of heart disease. 

When I was growing up, my dad and all of his brothers had bypass surgery in their 50s. Two didn’t survive the operation. One was never the same afterward. And my father, strong and stoic, cried in pain for four days. It was the only time I ever saw tears in his eyes. I have three sons. So when I was given the choice between surgery and a lifestyle change, I made the leap the very next day to a whole food, plant-based diet, and I’ve never felt better.

All my life, I had been told by my local doctor that heart disease was “in my genes.” But in that moment, I was given a miracle. As I lay on the gurney being wheeled toward bypass surgery, my cardiologist looked me in the eye and asked, “Are you willing to make a lifestyle change?” I said yes, without even knowing what that meant.

That “yes” changed everything.

Love Is My Motivation

My motivation came from love. Love for my sons. And love and respect for my father and uncles. That day, my life took a new direction, and it’s been an extraordinary journey ever since.

Even with so many powerful stories to share, I believe the most meaningful one is my own. I'd love to use this opportunity to share my personal journey, offer an introduction to Plant Based Support, highlight a few key moments, and reflect on some ideas that are always on my mind.

Thank you for giving me the space to do that. Here’s my story…

Life Before Plants

My name is Paul Chatlin. I was born in Detroit, Michigan, and have lived in West Bloomfield since 1971. I’m 67 years old. In May of 2013, I was diagnosed with advanced heart disease. One of my arteries was 100% blocked, and two others were 65% blocked. On top of that, I had leaky valves, an enlarged heart, thickening of the right side of my heart, a left bundle branch block, and a heart murmur. I was in seriously bad shape, I couldn’t walk more than seven steps without excruciating chest pain. My local cardiologist told me he wasn’t sure whether I needed bypass surgery or a heart transplant. It was time to tell my wife what was happening. I had kept it from her because I didn’t want her to worry. That’s a decision I’ll always regret.

After hearing the doctor’s words, I stopped by her office to break the news. As I explained that I needed both a heart biopsy and a heart catheter, she began to cry. Watching her cry broke my heart even more. Her boss happened to walk by, saw her upset, and asked what was going on. I shared my story with him.

He told me to wait a moment. I didn’t know why, but I trusted him. When he returned, he gave me what I now consider my first miracle: he had connections at the Cleveland Clinic, the number one heart hospital in the world, and he got me an appointment the very next day. It was just one day before I was scheduled to go into my local hospital.

The following week, we traveled to the Cleveland Clinic. There, I received my second miracle: I was assigned a cardiologist whose mentor in medical school had been Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. At the time, I didn’t know my cardiologist, and I had never heard of Dr. Esselstyn. During the heart catheter procedure, I kept hearing my doctor say, “Yes! Yes!” When I asked why, he explained that I wouldn’t need a transplant after all, just immediate triple bypass surgery. As I was being wheeled toward the operating room, I made a promise to G-d. I told Him that if there was another way, any way, I wouldn’t just take it, I would dedicate my life to giving back. I call it my “gurney promise.”

Right then, the cardiologist gave me a choice: undergo bypass surgery or try something called a "plant-based lifestyle." I told him I’d try anything to avoid surgery. That’s when he picked up his phone, my third miracle. He called Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who actually answered the phone at 11 p.m. The doctor handed me the phone, and I heard Dr. Esselstyn say, “Go on home. I’ll call you in the morning.” It was a leap of faith, but at 8 a.m. the next morning, he did call me. We spoke for an hour, and that conversation marked the beginning of my plant-based nutrition journey. After just three weeks, my angina disappeared. Within a year, my cholesterol dropped from 347 to 88. I lost 70 pounds, and I’ve kept the weight off ever since. Oh, and I forgot to mention: I feel great. It was time to give back.

I attended a plant-based cooking class hosted by the Esselstyn's. At the time, I wasn’t a cook and didn’t have a clue how to navigate this new lifestyle. The class cost $775, a big investment, but one I believed in. I tried to have Blue Cross Blue Shield reimburse me for the course, but my request was denied. That’s when I thought: this is how I can give back. For the next three months, I worked with BCBS, trying every route I could. After escalating to the highest level, I was denied again, this time because there was no billing code for cooking education. They told me that unless the legislature created a code, there was no hope for reimbursement. I couldn’t believe it. I kept saying, “You’d rather cut a check for $125,000 for bypass surgery than reimburse $775 for a course that could help prevent it altogether?” That was the moment I realized the system was broken, and that I needed a bigger voice.

Plant Based Support was born.

What Came Next

Even after deciding to change my life, I still wasn’t well. My doctor prescribed 60 to 90 days of bed rest to help shrink my enlarged heart, believing this would reduce the leakage in my valves. During that time, depression began to creep in, something entirely unfamiliar to me. I’ve always been a dreamer, a positive thinker. But lying still while the world moved on, I began to feel completely alone. So I took a leap. I placed a small ad in the local newspaper inviting anyone interested in hearing my story to come meet me, see my pantry, learn what I was doing, and connect with someone who understood.

The ad read something like this:

 “I would like to share my experience with anyone in our community considering a nutritional change before turning to pills or procedures. Who might benefit? Anyone who’s had bypass surgery and wants to prevent another. Anyone facing bypass surgery who hopes that diet might offer an alternative. Anyone with a family history of heart disease or Type 2 Diabetes. Anyone seeking a sustainable weight loss plan. Anyone ready to explore a Whole Food, Plant-Based lifestyle.”

Within two days, more than 20 people responded. I invited them to my home, and it was a beautiful evening. We connected. We shared stories. And some of those incredible people are still part of Plant Based Support today. Each person there felt exactly how I had, alone, but hopeful.

The next month, I did it again. Another 20 people came. That’s when I realized: we need a support group.

I reached out to the Chiefs of Cardiology at several local hospitals and asked each for three names of cardiologists who might be open to educating the community about Whole Food, Plant-Based Nutrition. They all gave me names, but only one was repeated by all three: Dr. Joel Kahn. So I called him. We met. And it was like love at first sight, professionally speaking. That day, Dr. Kahn agreed to help me on this journey. I call it my fourth miracle. I’d never heard of him before, but he was smart, passionate, charismatic, and the perfect partner. More importantly, he became a true friend.

In February 2014, we held our first Plant Based Support meeting. I hoped maybe 20 to 40 people would show up. 123 people came. 23 signed up as volunteers. The meeting was held at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. The next meeting was on March 24. I worried turnout might drop, but I was wrong. 143 people attended, including 44 new faces. That meant our community had already grown to over 160 members and 20 volunteers.

By April and May, we continued to grow. We moved our meetings to the larger auditoriums at the Birmingham High Schools and launched our website: www.plantbasedsupport.org.

Our Virtual Shift

Today, we have a presence on all major social media platforms and our own private online community through Circle.

Before COVID hit, Plant Based Support was thriving. We were out in the community, building relationships, and reaching people in ways that felt meaningful and lasting.

One of the projects I’m most proud of was our Medical Course Material program, developed by 1st- and 2nd-year medical students from Wayne State, Eastern Michigan, Oakland University, Michigan State, and the University of Michigan. We had the opportunity to present it to Wayne State University’s medical school, and it’s still available today for anyone interested. Just reach out to me directly.

We also had partnerships with 25 local restaurants who created special plant-compliant menus for our members. And in 2021 alone, we held over 120 educational classes, 24 cooking demos, and supported 54 small groups for people new to the plant-based lifestyle, people who just needed a safe, supportive space to learn and grow.

One of the most personal things I’ve created is our Plant-Based Support manual, The Gurney Promise. It’s 80+ pages pulled from my own diary over two years, and thanks to the incredible help of Stephanie Vail, it’s now a full guide to help others start their own support groups in cities across the country. If you’d like a copy, email me, paul@plantbasedsupport.org.

Over the past eight years, I’ve spoken to more than 8,000 medical students. Just imagine the ripple effect if even ten percent of those students become doctors who choose nutrition first, before pills or procedures. Most doctors practice for over 30 years and see 20 or more patients a day. That kind of shift could impact billions of lives. And in the process, the planet and animals benefit too. We also published a cookbook, Perfectly Plant-Based, a no-oil, WFPB collection made possible by two incredibly dedicated chefs, Denise Kling-Pelto and Vicki Brett-Gach. They worked side by side with over 20 contributors to bring it to life, and the eBook is now available on our website. We were doing grocery store tours. We had a walking club. We even hosted national pre-release screenings of Eating You Alive, How Not to Die, and other first-time events. And in 2017, we launched a project I’m incredibly passionate about, Doctors Teaching Doctors. It started with four local plant-based physicians offering to teach other healthcare professionals about the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet. Led by Dr. Robert Breakey, that first event had 73 doctors attend, with 35 more on a waiting list. With more support and resources, this is something that should exist in every city, in every state. No more excuses about not learning nutrition in school, we’ll teach you!

I’ve spoken at 24 General Motors locations and 20 different Beaumont Hospital sites. I’m a dreamer at heart. And I’ve always believed that if even one hospital or one major company embraced WFPB living, it could change not only people’s health but their energy, their productivity, and yes, even their bottom line. Just to give you some perspective: last year, my wife and I paid nearly $2,000 in health insurance. My total medical bills? Just $188. Why? Whole food, plant-based living.

Then COVID hit. And like it did for so many others, everything changed.

I started reading about COVID in late 2019. We were prepping for a big in-person event in February, but I made the call to cancel. I just couldn’t risk someone getting sick at a health event. That’s when we pivoted, and thanks to our IT Director Brett Nyquist, we shifted online and became a virtual support community almost overnight.

We Continue to Grow

Today, I’m proud to say we’re the largest whole food, plant-based support organization in the world. We host live education events everyday of the month, offer community discussions, cooking classes, guest speakers, and in 2025, we’re planning to expand our live events again. In just four years, we’ve grown to over 400 active members, connected with more than 12,000 people through our email list, and reached 250,000 people through social media. It’s truly humbling.

Please, help me help others. Join us. Make a change in your own life, and then reach back and lift someone else up. That’s what Plant-Based Support is all about. Even though none of us can go back and start over, anyone can start now, and create a brand-new ending.

To learn more, to donate, or just to get started, visit www.plantbasedsupport.org.

Discussion Points

Hospitals are a place of healing. So why aren’t there any WFPB meal options at most hospitals? Take a look at the cafeteria, walk the halls and see the health of the employees. Something is really wrong and changes must be made. Why are politics and the bottom line getting in the way of the human health? When people are healthy their productivity is improved and constant. Take that bottom line!

No doctor should ever say that they do not know about the benefits of nutrition before pills or procedures. They are our healers. The world holds them at the highest regard. They get paid very well! They owe it to us their customer to know the best health options available other than pills or procedures. Something is really wrong and changes must be made. It is up to us to challenge our doctors about leaning the health benefits of nutrition.

Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition is truly a lifestyle change. Sounds almost funny to say that you must be committed to your health. This should the number 1 goal of every human!

Plant Based Support, for all the good we try and do every day, still does not have the funds to grow their message wider. With that said, we are looking for sponsors, donations and kind financial help to share this message. Please contact me anytime. paul@plantbasedsupport.org to donate. We need your help!

Why isn’t nutrition taught at Medical Schools? I thought our Medical Course Material would be accepted worldwide. We tailored it so that it could be added to all ciriculium being taught. It is 4-6 nutritional items for the 9 systems of the body. It is available upon request. Everything should be on the table and learned if it helps heal people.

The greatest Plant Based minds (you know who they are) agree on the health benefits of WFPB. So why can’t we all figure a way to have a single voice. Let’s link all of our sites together and be Together as One! Our voices will be heard a little louder.

Who will be the next Dr. Campbell or Dr. Esselstyn? We must continue to show scientifically that this is the way we were meant to eat.

Interesting that I start every discussion with “ Please raise your hand if you love our know someone who heart disease, diabetes or is obese. Everyone raises their hands. The system is broken. What will it take to fix?

There are many great movies and books written about our health. Yet, more people are getting sick. Our efforts should be in building sustainable support groups thought out our nation. Our voices would then be heard.

You must always meet people where they are. Encourage small changes if that what is needed. Big changes if they are up to it. No Judgement!

13 Years Later……

I stood at a crossroads facing a recommendation for bypass surgery and the prospect of that dreaded 10-inch scar. Rather than follow that path, I embraced a wholly plant-based lifestyle. Focused on nutrition first. That choice not only helped me avoid surgery, but it’s also kept my weight steady and my health thriving ever since.

Throughout this journey, the unwavering love of my wife has been my greatest support. Today, as a grandfather to four amazing grandchildren, I am energized by their laughter and reminded daily why I chose vitality over intervention. I never felt better about where I am, or about the values- hope, resilience, and gratitude that guides me.

Conclusion

What began as Plant Based Support, the only global plant-based support organization dedicated to educating members on nutrition before pills or procedures has blossomed over the years. In the coming weeks we we’ll transition our name to Plant Based Support, launch a new website that highlights our mission of support and education without judgement, and automate key process for a smoother member experience. Plant Based Support Board of Directors lead by Dr. Robert Breakey is committed to our health vision.

Looking ahead to 2026, we’ll host more live events, bringing our community together in person to share knowledge and encouragement. I’m profoundly grateful for the exceptional team we’ve build and the generous individual who’ve helped us grow. Together we’ll continue spreading the message that good nutrition is the first step toward lasting health.

NUTRITION GUIDES OUR JOURNEY, LOVE LIGHTS OUR PATH,AND A JUDGMENT-FREE COMMUNITY TURNS EVERY PLANT-BASED CHOICE INTO HOPE.