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Being a bariatric program coordinator, one of my duties is to make sure that I am educating hospital staff as to the needs of the bariatric patient - both surgical patient and non-surgical patient.  A part of that training is bariatric sensitivity.  Unfortunately, we are all painfully aware of the sterotypical behavior and discrimination obese people sometimes experience.  Recently, there was a huge outcry after a doctor posted his "Fat Humor" in a national medical publication.

Yesterday it was brought to my attention that there is an ad being run by an airline suggesting that they will ensure that you can sit next to a thin person on their flights for a $10 fee.  The ad uses overweight people in order to sell their point - and the looks on the actors faces when confronted with sitting next to a heavier person is very telling.  Keep in mind, neither of the people they use as heavy would likely qualify for bariatric surgery.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sIzngoAUoNM

I am disturbed by this and would love to see tons of people contact them and have this ad pulled due to its lack of sensitivity.  Thoughts?

The Maryland Nurses Association is looking for a speaker to come and present at their annual meeting in April.  They have verious patients and nursing professionals presenting (including myself - bariatric sensitivity training for medical professionals), but they are looking for others - specifically someone who might be published or is a well-known bariatric speaker.  Anyone who might be interested, please feel free to contact me.

I would like to introduce myself.  My name is Dan.  Although I personally have not undergone bariatric surgery, my significant other had her lap band placed just over a year ago.  Although I am a nurse and spent the past severn years working in the emergency department, I recently was offered and accepted the position as the Bariatric Program Coordinator at Frederick Memorial Hospital in Frederick, Maryland.

I became a memebr of this site not only to learn more about the various procedures and about the trials struggles of the people going through the various treatments, but as well as to be so motivated by the control each of you is taking over your lives and health - it truly helps me re-focus my own efforts of getting back to a better, healthier life.

Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this great community!