The month of March kicked off its first week with a powerful spotlight on the topic of obesity. From helping to recognize Obesity Care Week and World Obesity Day to advocating relentlessly on Capitol Hill to expand access to treatment tools, OAC is riding a momentous wave of change in the right direction.
Last week also marked the exciting debut of the Global Obesity Patient Alliance (GOPA), and OAC is thrilled to share that we have joined GOPA as one of its six founding members.
GOPA is a brand new organization made up of obesity patient organizations from around the world who are committed to working together collaboratively and passionately to increase advocacy and amplify patient voices on a global level. The formation of GOPA is a tremendous step forward because it unites world organizations with a common focus in the pursuit of creating positive change in the lives of people affected by obesity.
About the Global Obesity Patient Alliance
The mission of GOPA is to ignite and inspire global change for people living with and affected by obesity through supporting collaboration and advocacy. The idea is to find and unite organizations that represent the needs and interests of people with obesity around the globe. Together, GOPA and its Member Organizations are dedicated to:
- Learning from the countries and cultures represented
- Fostering advocacy around the world
- Making sure the patient voice is always being heard
Currently, GOPA has six founding members with representatives from obesity patient organizations in North America and Europe. However, GOPA seeks to grow its voice by encouraging other obesity patient organizations to join the collective effort. To view the current list of GOPA Member Organizations, Click Here.
It’s Time to Change the Narrative around Obesity
More than 650 million people are impacted by obesity worldwide. Regardless of region or culture, obesity remains a complex disease that is not well understood by the public. Weight bias, stigma, false perceptions and unfair treatment are universal issues. Members of GOPA are united by the same desire to change the narrative around obesity.
It is truly a privilege for OAC to be part of GOPA and work with other organizations who share the same passion of fighting for people with obesity. In uniting, there are also greater opportunities to learn more about the disease of obesity as well as ways to improve education, stigma, support, access to care, treatment and other key issues.
Learn more about GOPA at GOPA.org and follow GOPA on Twitter: @GOPAObesity