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December 29th, 2020 |  |
That's a wrap! As we tie a bow on 2020 at the OAC, we know that this year has been different -- and perhaps now more than ever, we are humbled by the strong support of our Community that keeps the OAC steadfast and resilient. Our fight will never stop to change the narrative around obesity and make the world a better place for those who are affected. On that note, we are eager to make 2021 a year of renewed ACTION and we know we can count on you to help! So as the last few days of the year close out, know that the OAC wishes you and your loved ones a healthy, happy New Year.
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 | A FINAL MESSAGE FROM OAC'S OUTGOING CHAIRWOMAN OAC's outgoing Chairwoman, Michelle Vicari, writes an inspiring final letter to the OAC Community about the progress we've made together and what it has been like to chair this organization. LEARN MORE | | |
LAST CHANCE TO GIVE YOUR WHY! There are only a few days left to "Give Your Why" by making a tax-deductible, year-end donation to the OAC! Your "Why" is the unique reason for why the OAC is meaningful to you personally. This holiday season, we're asking our Community to consider giving your Why with a donation of any amount in support of OAC's programs and initiatives that make a real difference in people's lives every day. LEARN MORE |  | | |
 | NEW DATA ON PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE SHOWS EQUAL EFFECTIVENESS WITH OBESITY Recent data released about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shows that it is equally effective in people regardless of whether they have obesity, contrary to prior specuulation. LEARN MORE |  | MY VOICE CARRIES WEIGHT A professional advocate from The Creative Coalition shares how her nonprofit from the arts and entertainment industry is helping to get obesity on the forefront of the nation's health agenda. LEARN MORE |  | A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER: LOOKING BACK AT THE OAC IN 2020 As we tie a bow on 2020 and look ahead to 2021, here's a glance at the events, efforts and initiatives that shaped the OAC's progress this year. READ MORE |  | DON'T FORGET TO TAKE OAC'S ANNUAL YEAR-END SURVEY! The last day to take OAC's Annual Survey is Thursday, December 31st! Your insight and feedback are important to the OAC because they help us develop and improve our programs, resources, initiatives, services and more. TAKE THE SURVEY | |  |  | For OAC Member Shenese Colwell, patient advocacy is a big part of her life since having bariatric surgery. Her personal experiences with obesity have helped her recognize the value of support in an individual's health journey and having a community that empowers you. In a recent OAC Blog post, Shenese shares with us a recent "win" that we wanted to share with you, too -- being awarded a grant from the HealtheVoices Impact Fund to build a mental game/exercise that will help cultivate better decision-making in post-bariatric patients. LEARN MORE | | POLITICS, POLICIES AND THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE FOR OBESITY OAC breaks down recent changes in the political landscape that impact obesity legislation, access to obesity care and treatment, and COVID-19 vaccine distribution. READ MORE |  | | |  | TWEETING "NO" TO WEIGHT STIGMA Many OAC Members took to Twitter last month to fight back against a stigmatizing comment made by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who made a statement implying that obesity is self-imposed. "If you didn't eat the cheesecake, you wouldn't have a weight problem," Cuomo commented. The OAC is proud of our community who used social media to call out weight bias! To learn more about using social media to take #OACAction, CLICK HERE. | | | A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OAC'S MAGAZINE ADVERTISERS After publishing four successful issues of OAC's Weight Matters Magazine in 2020, the OAC wants to thank our 2020 advertisers for making this magazine our most popular educational resource to date! LEARN MORE
| WHY WEIGHT? A GUIDE FOR MANAGING OBESITY IN PRIMARY CARE If you haven't already checked out the new "Why Weight?" Guide, developed by the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, don't miss out! This guide is a valuable tool designed to help healthcare providers build a safe and trusting environment with patients to facilitate open and productive conversations about weight. LEARN MORE | | | | | |
