CBC published an article about how a new program is offering kids aged from 12 to 17 a weight-loss surgery. However the surgery is not for any overweight kid, the weight-gain must have been from medical conditions, such as type 2 Diabetes.
A team of health specialists will help each patient develop a lifestyle which will help the patients work on getting exercise and healthy eating into their lives. Sick Kids, a team helping with the new program, expect that around 15 kids will under-go the surgery this year.
The news article, published by CBC on Feb. 5, was commented on and blogged by a fellow journalist-in-training Ashliegh Gehl. You can find her opinion piece here.
Obviously the first question that pops up here is: “Why would we promote weight-loss surgery and is it safe?”
This operation is different from the much frowned-upon surgeries like liposuction. The program is offering this surgery only for those who need it, and who couldn’t control their weight on their own. People with type 2 diabetes have it tough enough as it is, and weight-gain is a big problem that people don’t want to deal with on top of what they already need to juggle.
There are plenty of ways to naturally lose weight, right? Well what about the children who have no control over it? People with diabetes can go years before knowing they have it, and that is where the problem starts. If they try eating less or exercising, they may be taking in to many sugars without even knowing it. So with children in the world that have problems like these, why should we just sit back and let them deal with it? Obviously, the natural way would be better, but if it’s not possible then this operation could be there best bet.
It’s not like the hospital is just removing the excess weight and sending these children on their way. The hospital, Sick Kids, and other health professionals are helping these kids before and after the operation, making sure that they get their habits on track so they don’t end up in the same mess again.
Surgery may not be the best thing, for any problem, but in this case some could say that it is right. As Gehl blogged, if it will allow children to do their daily activities then the idea of a surgery and new life plan couldn’t be too bad.
“When it comes to the quality of ones life, obesity is obviously a hinderance. More so for the teenager who suffers from a pre-existing medical condition like type 2 diabetes. If surgery will allow a teenager to walk without pain, go for a hike in the woods, and ride a bike, then surgery seems like a viable option when enhancing the quality of life.”
This doesn’t approve other surgeries, like when people don’t like their face and wish to get it changed. Those types of operations are ridiculous and really should be taken out of the medical systems. However, that’s another story.
Let it be up to the children in question. If a child cannot operate properly, or do things that every kid should enjoy in their life, then the program being offered now will greatly change the kids’ life. Although surgery isn’t always the answer, the idea of this operation and post-surgery help, seems to be on the right track to helping change a kids’ life.
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