Born2lbfat

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

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.

Shine With Me at OAC’s YWM2014

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YWM2014

Come S.H.I.N.E. with me this September at the OAC’s 3rd Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention. This year I have the pleasure of being a topic leader for Lunch with the Experts. I will be leading the Saturday Lunch Topic – You are Your Best Advocate: Leading Your Healthcare Team. Last year I wrote my Top 5 Reasons Why YOU Should Attend OAC’s #YWM2013, and not that you need more convincing but I wanted to write about the 5 elements of this year’s theme SHINE.

Support – Obesity Action Coalition offers support to everyone, no matter where you are in your journey or which path you are choosing, even if you have yet to choose a path. My favorite part of the OAC Vision Statement “All individuals are treated with respect and without discrimination or bias regardless of their size or weight”

Health – Health is not measured by the number on the scale, health is a combination of factors and clinical indicators.  Also being healthy is not just physical health, but emotional and mental health. The YWM2014 will be the opportunity to focus or refocus on your overall journey to health.

Inspiration – Often we seek or find inspiration in others, at YWM2014 I challenge you to find inspiration within yourself and your story, where you have been and where you are going. Our stories our powerful, and together with our stories and experiences we can make a difference. I encourage you to attend one of the Advocacy Training sessions on Thursday to learn more about how you can assist OAC in their mission.

Networking – At YWM2014 you will meet many other individuals working towards the same goal as you, and you’ll also meet many professional dedicated to improving the quality of treatment and life for those affected by obesity.  And those connections will continue even after you return home, the connections you make will provide many new outlets of support and information.

Education – I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Sharma speak last year at the ObesityHelp Conference, his message and perspective is one that is needed among both patients and practitioners in regards to weight and obesity. My favorite topic Dr. Sharma spoke on was the meaning of failure and success.