Surgeon and Salmon

Often I find myself with people that are way, way, out of my league. I work at an amazing institution that is packed with the most brilliant researchers, surgeons, and clinicians in the world. I have sat in rooms with great benefactors and community leaders and I have nervously waited in the offices of some of the most affluent and influential people in the city. I never think twice about it. I am a fundraiser for a great institution and I am proud to do the work that I do.

Last night I knew that I was attending a gala dinner for the Chronic Diseases in Childhood Obesity: Risks and Benefits of Early Intervention Symposium and that I ordered salmon. That’s pretty much all I knew going into it. It was one of those nights where the conversations were medically and policy charged. I felt out of place, and I wished to be home with Joey and Gracie.

I had even forgotten until I saw the agenda who the keynote speaker was.
Richard Carmona, MD. The 17th Surgeon General of the United States. I thought… “hmmm… impressive.” I am sitting at a table with an attorney, an endocrinologist, a nurse, and a nurse practitioner. I was participating in conversations that were truly amazing. One person at the table is studying the increased cases of type II diabetes, obesity, and suicide rates on Indian Reservations while also working on a project in India centered around Autism… in her spare time she collects rare textiles and weaves baskets. These people were fantastic! I could have talked to them all night learning about their lives, their travels, and their work. Forging my belief that I am quite the under-achiever.

The table conversation ended when the Surgeon General took the stage. The guy was amazing. He spoke about his life and the hard childhood he had growing up. And how obesity in children is a huge problem. I knew it was an issue. I had noticed the healthy alternatives at fast food restaurants and in schools but I didn’t know it was an enormous issue of National Public Health. I didn't realize that there were so many socioeconomic determinates that we can’t just fix one part of the problem and expect a solution. The health disparities in our country are ridiculous and all of this was brought to my attention last night. Gone are the days of children playing outside while mom makes dinner and waits for dad to get home. It’s too dangerous to run wild outside. Mom has to work. And usually… there is no dad. In turn, mom fills the kids full of carbohydrates because they are cheap and then they go back to playing video games. 12.5 million children (ages 2-19) are overweight. Since 1980, obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2-5 and more than tripled among youth ages 6-11 and adolescents ages 12-19. Much of this increase in overweight is attributable to sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits. Too much Playstation and not enough play ground….There are now more people in the world that are obese than there are people that are starving… Shocking.
He also spoke about the costs associated with healthcare and how a very large percentage of the diseases that people are faced with today are preventable through a healthy lifestyle.

I am not overweight and I have always been lucky in the game of metabolism. In fact, I was just complaining the other day that my pants are all too big. What I can do is improve my eating habits and make some healthier decisions about my sometimes sedentary lifestyle.

Starting today. I am gonna try. I have to… I have a little one counting on me to be around to provide a healthy, fun filled life for her.