Story from OAC Member Christine J. 

I found the OAC through two friends. One of those friends brought me to my first workshop in Boston, and for the first time, I was in a room full of people who understood many of the same things I had been carrying. That feeling of being understood was enough to keep me coming back.

When I received a scholarship to attend the Your Weight Matters National Convention in 2025, it gave me the opportunity to experience that sense of community. I saw just how many people had lived through experiences like mine, and I heard something that changed the way I thought about myself.

For years, I believed I was doing something wrong. I thought I was not trying hard enough. But obesity is not a personality flaw or a lack of willpower. It is a complex, chronic disease, and the science makes that clear. The Your Weight Matters National Convention was where I finally heard that message in a way I could fully understand.

There is one moment from last year that I still think about often.

During the Convention’s Saturday night event, younger members of the OAC Community spoke about what the organization has meant to them. As I listened, I kept thinking about how different things might have been if I had access to this information and support earlier in life. I am grateful that this community exists for them now, and I am grateful that a scholarship made it possible for me to be part of that experience.

Through OAC, I have met people who truly understand what it means to navigate life with obesity. Those connections are real. Being around people who understand without needing a full explanation makes a difference.

The Your Weight Matters National Convention gave me information I needed, people I may not have met otherwise and a stronger understanding of my own health. None of that would have been possible without the scholarship support that helped me attend.

Join the OAC Community to connect with others, access trusted education and find support that can make a difference in your own health journey.