Allergan Education Campaign

Did anyone else get this email from Allergan today? I thought it was an interesting campaign, use the links below to check it out.
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Today, Allergan launched an educational campaign called C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment). This national campaign is designed to help address the adult obesity epidemic by creating a platform for LAP-BAND® System patients, consumers, healthcare professionals and Congress to work together to address the obesity epidemic through a dual focus on prevention and treatment and an acceptance of all treatments, including weight-loss surgery for those 100 pounds or more overweight. The campaign also aims to dispel the misperception that obesity is a personal choice resulting from poor lifestyle and eating habits – it is a disease that requires the same level of attention as other medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

We hope that you will get involved with this obesity awareness campaign, and share the news with your family, friends and colleagues. Additionally, if you blog or have an online presence, we hope you will share the news with your online readers. Beginning today.

In the meantime, there are three ways you can get involved with C.H.O.I.C.E.

1. Enter the Voice My C.H.O.I.C.E. Contest Program

This contest is for LAP-BAND® System patients. To enter the contest, which runs from May 12 through July 27, simply submit a short essay or video at www.LapbandChoiceContest.com about your weight-loss journey and how your choice to overcome your struggle with weight has changed your life. Twelve winners will be given the opportunity to go on a 3-day/2-night trip to Washington, D.C. in September to share their personal stories with legislators and media. Allergan, Inc., will cover travel-related expenses for winners and a guest. More information regarding the contest, including rules and eligibility, can be accessed at www.LapbandChoiceContest.com.

2. Sign our Petition to Congress

Sign the online petition to Congress at www.mychoicecampaign.com to tell Congress it’s time to recognize obesity as a disease, NOT a choice, to focus on prevention and treatment, and to accept all treatments, including weight-loss surgery for those 100 pounds or more overweight. The petition will be delivered to legislators in September by the winners of our contest. We need your support to reach our goal of 250,000 signatures – that’s one signature for every dollar that Allergan, Inc., will donate to The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services’ Department of Health to support research on obesity through the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance. The STOP Obesity Alliance is helping to change how we perceive and approach the problem of obesity, overweight, and weight-related health risks, including heart disease and diabetes.

3. Join our Facebook Cause Page and Follow us on Twitter

Join the campaign Cause page on Facebook – www.mychoicecampaign.com/facebook – and follow updates on the campaign on Twitter @CHOICEcampaign. Social media tools – including banners, icons, wallpapers, links to the campaign and contest Web sites, Facebook Cause page and Twitter page, and messages for social media sites – are available at www.mychoicecampaign.com to help you spread the word about the campaign and encourage your friends to join our movement.

We’d love to hear from you and if you plan to help us spread the word on this campaign! Please let us know if you have any questions and we’ll be in touch with you soon.