Those Picked Last, a foundation created to educate and bring together parents, children, clinicians, educators, politicians and businesses to combat childhood obesity, is announcing its first ever conference in honor of Childhood Obesity Month. The conference, "Weaving The Threads of Hope for Change" is being held on Tuesday, September 7 from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Hilton Columbus at Easton. The event will host speakers including First Lady of New York, Michelle Patterson, Senator George Voinovich, Dr. Gene T. Harris, Superintendent of Columbus City Schools, Steve Allen, CEO of Nationwide Children's Hospital, among other decision makers including Mayor Michael Coleman, educators, families and children affected by obesity.

The foundation was created by Jacqueline Downey, a mother whose son MacGregor, struggled with obesity for the first 17 years of his life. After spending the majority of his life focusing on obesity preventive measures including camps, dieting, exercise and more, Mac's weight ceased to change. At age 17 Mac entered as a trial patient at the New Hope Pediatric and Adolescent Weight Management Project at the University of Illinois Medical Center to undergo Gastric Band surgery. Those Picked Last was created by Jacqueline to guide parents and families through the struggle with obesity, to teach doctors and educators how to help families and to encourage businesses and politicians to make a difference.

"In our effort to open the door to anyone that can, should and will make a difference in combating the challenges of Childhood Obesity, we are bringing together all parties of interest to the same table," shares Jacqueline Downey, Founder and Executive Director. "Those Picked Last expects to weave these threads of hope for change, to strengthen the fight against adolescent and childhood obesity. This key event will launch our effort to do so in a bigger way than any of us could have dreamed."

Approximately one-third of children and teens in the USA about 25 million in total are overweight or on the brink of becoming so, as demonstrated by government data. Those Picked Last works to help all parties understand that through lifestyle modifications, treatments are available to aid these children. Further, obesity could decrease life expectancy by two to five years if something isn't done about the epidemic. Those Picked Last will bring valuable information, resources and conversations together to make a lasting difference in the lives of children everywhere.

Source: Those Picked Last