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OAC and those Affected Head to Capitol Hill

by Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO

Fall 2010

OAC Leads Group of Patients in Capitol Hill Visits

On September 21 as part of our continued effort to educate our elected officials on obesity, its treatments and consequences, the OAC brought a group of more than 25 volunteers to Washington, DC, for advocacy training and a series of legislative meetings.

Board members and volunteers from the OAC led the 12 bariatric surgery patients selected as winners of Allergan’s “Voice the C.H.O.I.C.E.” contest plus members of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) leadership on more than 30 legislative office visits representing 13 states.

OAC President and CEO Joe Nadglowski speaks to C.H.O.I.C.E. participants.

During the visits, the advocates shared their personal struggles with weight and emphasized to our elected officials that a combination of both prevention and treatment is necessary to combat the obesity epidemic.

They also urged our elected officials to support prevention efforts like Rep. Kind’s Healthy Choices Act as well as to expand access to dietary counseling, healthcare provider supervised weight-loss with or without pharmaceuticals, bariatric surgery and other comprehensive approaches to treat obesity.

Special thanks to all of those who joined us in DC to “Raise their Voice.” To learn more about how you can join in the OAC’s advocacy activities, visit the advocacy section of our Web site at www.obesityaction.org.

OAC Partners on the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign

Obesity prevention and treatment are equally important when it comes to fighting obesity. That’s why the OAC has partnered with Allergan on the C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Health Over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment) Campaign to unite individuals affected and let our voice be heard loud and clear to Congress.

The C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign is an educational initiative created by Allergan designed to bring together individuals affected by obesity, reduce the prevalence of obesity in our country and help those already affected to regain their health. To support this effort, the OAC has pledged to give away 1,000 FREE one-year OAC Memberships to those who join in the campaign by signing the petition to Congress. The petition to Congress aims to let our elected officials know that hundreds of thousands of individuals want to see more being done when it comes to treatment and prevention efforts.

C.H.O.I.C.E. winners pose for a photograph before beginning their Hill visits.

If you are not yet an OAC Member, now is the perfect time to let your voice be heard and join the OAC at no cost to you. Be sure to check the “opt-in” box at the end of the form to sign the petition so you can automatically receive your FREE one-year membership.

If you are already an OAC Member, we thank you for your membership and urge you to sign this important petition to Congress. Let your friends, family and colleagues also know about this campaign and encourage them to be a part of it with you. The more individuals who sign this petition, the louder our voice is to Congress.

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Comprehensive obesity care requires teaming up with a qualified and compassionate medical professional. Find the right healthcare provider to talk about your weight and health at ObesityCareProviders.com.

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