COURTESY DREAM MAKEOVER HAWAII The newly made-over Marisa Burgess-Suntheimer is surrounded by her children, Emily, left, and Caitlin Suntheimer, and Ashlee and Tyler Esteban.

A new me

A Hawaii mom finds confidence
and a fresh look after a televised
metamorphosis

Last fall, Marisa Burgess-Suntheimer decided to make some changes in her life.

She couldn't have picked a more public way to do so.

Burgess-Suntheimer was chosen from a field of more than 250 people who turned up for a "Dream Makeover Hawaii" TV casting call in September.

"Perhaps I revealed more than I should have," she said, "but it was a good opportunity with the whole package of life coaching and nutrition (and more)."

Although the exposure has been overwhelming for the Kaneohe woman, she said it's a process she would go through all over again.

"I like all the changes."

Although viewers who watched the locally produced show on OC16, KHNL/NBC and KFVE were impressed by the physical changes, Burgess-Suntheimer has embraced internal change as well. She said she's learned to assert herself better through the confidence-raising tips the life coach gave her, and speaks highly of the show's producers and its staff of surgeons and coaches.

"Dream Makeover Hawaii" Executive Producer AnnMarie Manzulli recognized Burgess-Suntheimer, a mother of four in her early 40s, as the perfect candidate for change. There are tentative plans for more editions of the show down the line.

Most important, Manzulli wanted someone who was grounded and not likely to break down during the process.

"We wanted someone who could use confidence," Manzulli said, "but we weren't looking for the broken and wounded."

Manzulli said she is not a fan of extreme makeover shows that focus on extensive surgery. Some people find these shows unsettling, exploiting unhappy people caught at what might be the worst time of their lives.

For that reason, she said, she wasn't interested in turning a contestant into a completely new person, but someone who could use and wanted a change from the inside.

COURTESY DREAM MAKEOVER HAWAII As a result of cosmetic surgery, dental work, teeth-whitening and her own weight loss, Marisa Burgess-Suntheimer has a new nose, new smile and a new, slimmer profile.

Burgess-Suntheimer had suffered from a lack of confidence as a kid, and carried some of her insecurities into adulthood. Issues such as a troubled first marriage added to Burgess-Suntheimer's self-doubts, and even though she happily remarried, she still felt there was room for improvement in her life.

Manzulli said the changes made to Burgess-Suntheimer were so subtle that friends and co-workers who didn't know what she was going through couldn't place the changes.

"Did you get a haircut?" a co-worker asked as she returned to work between procedures.

Burgess-Suntheimer remained mum about what was taking place. Changes did include a haircut, as well as the ZOOM teeth-whitening she had requested. She also underwent cosmetic procedures including breast augmentation, a tummy tuck, rhinoplasty and dental work. In all, about $75,000 of work was done on her body.

"The changes to my appearance have definitely changed me on the inside," Burgess-Suntheimer said. "I thought that might happen. I also wanted my kids to see me with confidence."

After her makeover, she comfortably gave speeches for the first time in her life, both on radio and in front of audiences. She also lost 10 pounds on her own. Six weeks after the process, she is standing straighter and wearing more fashionable clothes.

"She changed from a caterpillar to a butterfly," said Manzulli. "She is beautiful, poised and elegant. She had a winning personality before, but she was hiding."

Most of the feedback Burgess-Suntheimer has received from friends and strangers has been complimentary. Friends told her she looked like the she had turned her body clock back 10 to 15 years.

But not all were sensitive, especially those who think natural beauty is the best kind of beauty.

Manzulli said that although "Dream Makeover Hawaii" included plastic surgery, its overall focus was on health and wellness.

COURTESY DREAM MAKEOVER HAWAII The makeover "Dream Team" included specialists in cosmetics and skin care as well as nutrition, life skills, dentistry and plastic surgery.

Critics disagreed, arguing that cosmetic surgery is unnecessary and just a quick fix at the wrong time in a vulnerable person's life. There is also the perception that in a billion-dollar industry, those advising individuals to have surgery might not have their best interests in mind.

Manzulli said the toughest critics she met during the project work in the health and wellness field.

"I hit a wall," said Manzulli of her initial experiences. "I had a hard time selling it."

Those who were on board with her approach got on board early, she said, but a couple of people who were initially against the idea later changed their minds.

"We're saying you have options," Manzulli said. "We're not saying it's going to make you better. We're saying it's going to make you more confident. Who doesn't want transformation in some area of life?"

The final "Dream Team" offered expertise in cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, health and fitness, and image and life coaching.

Burgess-Suntheimer is grateful for the team's gentle approach and respect for her privacy.

"Undergoing major surgery, I did a lot of research on the doctors," she said. "The team was put together so well. They cared and were concerned with what I felt, how I would feel -- the whole experience."

BURGESS-SUNTHEIMER'S family pitched in to help her feel more comfortable. Her eldest daughter helped drive her siblings to school while Burgess-Suntheimer's mother took care of household tasks as she recuperated.

Burgess-Suntheimer stayed at a bed-and-breakfast after the most intensive surgery, with a caregiver watching over her 24 hours a day. She spent every hour after her first day of surgery with the person assigned to care for her, talking about the procedure and writing her feelings in a diary.

"It was so hard being away from the kids," she said.

Burgess-Suntheimer's husband has seen photos of her new look but has yet to see the changes in person. A member of the Hawaii National Guard, he was sent to Iraq before filming began.

"My husband loves me the way I am," she said. "He didn't really have any comment except 'I really like your hair.' He didn't say a lot. He's a smart man."

Burgess-Suntheimer continues to work with the team's health and wellness specialists.

"Things have not ended since the show. I still have the life coach, the physical trainer, the nutritionist and the image consultant."

Manzulli has even bigger dreams for a makeover show, wanting to add financial and room makeover segments for future contestants, saying: "It's not extreme. It's a dream. It's not the last of it."