Thriving with Teen Spirit – Maggie’s Story

by Mckinzie Burrows, OAC Senior Communications Manager and Michelle “Shelly” Vicari, OAC Senior Programs Manager

Winter 2025

Maggie Ervie is a charismatic teenager from Kansas City and one of the first participants in the Obesity Action Coalition’s (OAC) new Thrive Together Youth and Families Program. Beta-tested in 2023 and officially launched in January 2025, the program empowers youth and families with tailored resources and support to address common challenges such as weight management, body image, healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, and more.

A Long Road

When Maggie was three years old, her mom, Erika, sensed something wasn’t right. Maggie’s appetite and rapid weight gain didn’t align with what Erika expected from a healthy toddler. Despite consulting multiple pediatricians, the family spent years searching for answers. The explanations they were given were less than helpful, merely suggesting that everyone metabolizes food differently and that Maggie likely had “bad genetics.”

Frustrated and concerned, Erika watched her daughter’s health worsen. Determined to find answers before Maggie reached her teenage years, Erika emptied her savings in a desperate search for help.

By the time Maggie started middle school, her vibrant personality had faded. Each night, she cried, feeling uncomfortable in her body and increasingly isolated from her peers. One memory stands out in particular: wearing her father’s 3XL t-shirts to school, only to face cruel teasing from classmates about her size.

The Power of a Diagnosis

After more than eight years of searching, the trajectory finally began to shift. A pediatrician recommended a new obesity clinic in Kansas City, where, for the first time, someone explained that obesity is a disease—and that there are medical treatments for it. With a team of doctors who understood how to help, Maggie and her family began a treatment plan that ultimately led to gastric sleeve surgery in 2021 when she was 13 years old.

But getting treatment was not without its challenges. Over time, Maggie began struggling with persistent hunger and feeling satisfied after meals. Working with her doctor, she was prescribed medication to help address these challenges.

Another challenge during this journey was facing judgment and unsolicited opinions from others about their choices for Maggie’s health. Few people truly understood their experiences, and there were limited resources available to guide them.

Finding the OAC Community

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), in collaboration with pediatricians, including Maggie’s, beta-tested our youth and families program in 2023. When Maggie and her mom were invited to participate in the OAC’s National Convention in Orlando, Florida, it became a life-changing experience. The Convention offered special programming and resources specifically designed for youth and their families navigating childhood obesity.

At the Convention, Maggie connected with other teenagers who understood the challenges of managing weight and health at a young age. For the first time, she felt seen, validated, and supported, forming lifelong friendships through the experience.

While Maggie enjoyed bonding with her peers that weekend, Erika immersed herself in evidence-based education on obesity, delivered by leading physicians, researchers, dietitians, and health psychologists. “She looked like a schoolgirl,” Maggie joked, recalling how her mom eagerly took notes and shared everything she learned in their hotel room at night.

Back home, Erika, a high school Spanish teacher, couldn’t resist sharing her favorite takeaways with her students. Her experiences opened the door for candid conversations about weight stigma and the importance of treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of body type.

Sixteen and Thriving

Today, Maggie is sixteen years old, and she has accomplished many things that people far beyond her years have not. She has undergone bariatric surgery, traveled across the country to attend a life-changing convention, advocates for other teenagers, and even appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s special, An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame, and the Weight Loss Revolution, to share her experiences with obesity.

Maggie is thriving. She glows with confidence and joy, able to focus on just being a kid instead of constantly battling her body. This means going on walks with her family, spending more time with friends and even getting physical activity through cheerleading.

She and her mom are also counting down the days until they travel to Washington, DC, to attend the OAC’s 2025 National Convention from July 24-26! Maggie is excited to reconnect with friends in person again and also to make new ones, as the OAC is sending 20 families to the Convention in 2025 through its new Thrive Together Youth and Families Program in honor of its 20th Anniversary.

When asked what advice she would give to other teens facing similar battles with weight, Maggie said:

“Keep working at it, even if you think you want to stop. Keep trying to reach your goals. Find your real friends and get supporters by your side—you can do anything from there. Community is everything.”

The biggest fight Maggie faces now is accessing ongoing obesity care to maintain her weight loss. Medication works alongside her surgery as a tool to help her manage her weight, but insurance won’t cover it, forcing Erika to jump through hoops to keep Maggie on her treatment plan. Like most parents, Erika and her husband are willing to do anything for their daughter, and the renewed brightness on Maggie’s face makes it all worthwhile.

A New Chapter for Teens Like Maggie

Struggling with weight and health is hard for anybody, but it can be even harder as a young person trying to find their identity. Millions of other children and teenagers can relate to Maggie’s story. Yet finding the right support is not as simple as going to the doctor for the flu or a broken leg. On top of health issues is the issue of weight stigma, judgment from society for seeking treatment, and the pain from bullying that so many children with obesity face.

That’s why the OAC’s new Thrive Together Youth and Families Program was established—to foster a safe, inclusive, and encouraging space where families can access credible information, connect with a supportive community, and take actionable steps toward better health.

To learn about the Thrive Together program, visit ObesityAction.org/thrivetogether.

About the Author:

Mckinzie Burrows, OAC Senior Communications Manager, oversees the management and execution of OAC’s organizational communications, both internally and externally. This includes organizational promotional activities, event and awareness campaign promotions, narrative shaping and working with media representatives. She is passionate about helping nonprofits tell stories that inspire others.

Michelle “Shelly” Vicari, OAC Senior Program Manager and Past OAC Chair, leads OAC’s Thrive Together Youth and Families Program.

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