Born2lbfat

My life with Lipedema & Lymphedema...destined to be fat.

Archives for September 2014

OAC Member of the Year

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OAC Member of the YearFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 28, 2014

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
James Zervios
Director of Communications, OAC
(800) 717-3117
jzervios@obesityaction.org

SARAH BRAMBLETTE HONORED WITH THE OBESITY ACTION COALITION’S

“OAC MEMBER OF THE YEAR” AWARD

Tampa, Fla. – Ohio resident Sarah Bramblette was honored with the Obesity Action Coalition’s (OAC) “OAC Member of the Year” award during the 3rd Annual Your Weight MattersSM National Convention, Together We S.H.I.N.E.

As an OAC member since 2012, Sarah has dedicated herself to raising awareness of the OAC, weight bias and the disease of obesity. In 2014, Sarah was featured in the OAC’s publication, Your Weight Matters Magazine, where she provided readers with an in-depth look at living with lipedema. She was also the first-place winner of HealthCentral’s #LiveBold Anti-stigma Photo Contest. She is a lipedema, lymphedema, obesity, and health insurance advocate and blogs about her life experiences at www.born2lbfat.com. Sarah is currently working toward a master’s degree in health law.

Sarah has worked closely with the OAC leadership, other members and staff on a variety of issues in 2014. From weight bias issues to representing the OAC in the media, she has gone above and beyond for the OAC.

“I honestly cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than Sarah. Since joining the OAC, she has continually raised the bar for what we look for in an OAC member. To Sarah, being an OAC member is not just simply joining the Coalition. She takes being a member in the OAC to a completely different level. The OAC is grateful for Sarah’s dedication. We congratulate her on winning the OAC’s most prestigious award,” said Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA, OAC Chairman.

About the OAC

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), a nearly 50,000 member-strong National non-profit organization, is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by the disease of obesity through education, advocacy and support. To learn more about the OAC, please visit www.ObesityAction.org.

About the “OAC Member of the Year” Award

This is the highest OAC honor and is awarded to an OAC member who has gone above and beyond to help the OAC. The recipient of this award should be an exemplary OAC member and continually represent the OAC in their efforts to impact the obesity epidemic nationwide.

About the Your Weight Matters Convention

The Your Weight Matters Convention is a National convention focused on providing individuals with quality, evidence-based education on weight and its impact on health. For more information on the Convention, please visit www.YWMConvention.com.

Winner! Living Bold With Lipedema

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healthcentral

“A picture is worth a thousand words, this picture turned out to be worth $500…

“I’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game…

I never imagined a day at the pool with an underwater camera would lead to my story of living with Lipedema being featured on HealthCentral, nor that the contest would be an experience in itself. There are several stories to be told, the story of being fat shamed while at the gym when the picture was taken, the story of why I entered the picture for the HealthCentral #LiveBold contest, and the story of the connection I made with fellow contestant and second place winner Gabe Howard.

I became aware of the contest through the Obesity Action Coalition, I have been a member since 2012 and am known for being a strong advocate against weight stigma and bias. Upon seeing the contest guidelines, to share a picture of how you live bold with a chronic condition, I immediately thought of this picture. While I initially thought the picture made my butt look big, I quickly realized the powerful message captured in the moment. I crafted my words to fit the image and submitted it for the contest. I did not set out to win the contest, my only intent was to share my story. However, as voting continued I saw I had the potential to win and ramped up my social medial campaign to solicit votes.

One day I decided to check out the #LiveBold hashtag on Twitter to see which other contestants were promoting their stories. I came across Gabe’s posts, I had read his story and really connected. I began to follow him on Twitter and sent him a Tweet. I liked his story so much, that I started requesting that my friends and family vote for both of us. It turned out Gabe lived only two hours from me. Small world indeed, his father is actually from my hometown. Win or lose, I had made a new friend.

So then the announcement came and I won! My story was going to be featured on HealthCentral.com. This was huge, not only for me, but for the Lipedema and Lymphedema communities. The prize was well timed also, as I was preparing for my trip to Washington, DC to attend the National Lymphedema Network Conference and Lymphedema Lobby Days. I used the $500 Visa Gift card towards my hotel expenses.

Me with the HealthCentral Staff

Me with the HealthCentral Staff

So it turns out HealthCentral’s offices are located in Alexandria, VA and when they heard I would be in DC they invited me over to meet the staff, tour the offices, and lunch. I also filmed an interview with them to be included with my blog post, Living Boldly With Lymphedema and Lipedema

Lesson learned: Never underestimate the power of your story…or a picture of you in your swimsuit.