As a young teen, John faced serious health challenges caused by excess weight, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), prediabetes and severe sleep apnea. Even simple activities caused pain and exhaustion, and relentless bullying at school pushed him into isolation, leaving him three grades behind. Determined to help her son, John’s mom, Karen, tried diets,
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For most of her life, Liz Paul carried the heavy burden of blame. “Everyone told me I had a problem,” Liz recalls. “Doctors, family, society — they all said, ‘Why don’t you just fix it?’ I spent decades gaining and losing hundreds of pounds, always believing it was my fault.” For 37 years, no one
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Support, education and connection can transform a journey—and for Casey Flowers, RD, her work with the Obesity Action Coalition has done just that. As a dietitian passionate about weight management and expanding access to care, Casey has dedicated her career to helping individuals living with obesity feel seen and supported. Casey first connected with the
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Support can transform a journey, and for OAC Board Member Michele Tedder, it completely changed hers. Michele’s path with obesity has included decades of challenges, from childhood weight struggles to navigating the complex world of bariatric surgery and chronic health care. Through it all, finding a community that understood her experiences made all the difference.
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We’ve all experienced moments when we needed support — and moments when someone else needed ours. That’s the power of community, and OAC Member Lisa Hernandez embodies it in everything she does. Known for her kindness, resilience and the warmth she brings to every interaction, Lisa has become a steady source of encouragement for others
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Sometimes, revisiting the past can be painful — but it can also bring healing. That’s what happened for Jess at this year’s Your Weight Matters National Convention. He came seeking connection and support for himself, but what he found in the Thrive Together Program went far deeper: a chance to witness young people experiencing the
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Every day, families across the country face the challenges of obesity and the stigma that too often comes with it. But because of supporters like you, they don’t have to face it alone. The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is working toward a future where every person has access to compassionate care, evidence-based treatment and a
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For more than four decades, Kevin Stephens believed what so many people living with obesity are told: it was his fault. “I always thought it was my fault; I didn’t exercise enough, I ate the wrong things,” says Kevin, who leads a human services department in Riverside County. “That’s a long, long time to feel
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