** Guest Post **
Meet 555lb, 14 year old, Alexander Draper.
His mother, Jerri Gray, was charged with criminal neglect for letting him gain too much weight. Alexander was soon placed in foster care and stripped away from his mother, as she faced her looming trial (2 felonies, 15 years, $50k bond). During her trial, she claimed that she didn’t have the education to help him live a healthy lifestyle nor the finances to put him in the recommended weight loss program.
IS THIS CRIMINAL NEGLECT OR SOCIAL INJUSTICE?
Reset Wellness, a San Francisco Bay Area Non-Profit, has established a program that focuses on providing obesity intervention tools and academic enrichment to underprivileged children in U.S.(www.ResetWellness.org) Later this year, Reset Wellness will be opening a child wellness center to expand their community reach and they need your help. “Alexander Draper’s situation is all too common. There’s a fine line between neglect and miseducation,” states Reset Wellness founder Jamal Williams. “As a nonprofit, we’ve come up with a program that educates families on healthy lifestyles and holds them accountable.”
Currently, there are no one-stop-shops, in the East Bay Area, that tackle child wellness and academics in a practical, economically accessible way. The child wellness center will be the first of its kind and will feature hydraulic strength training circuits, vertical community gardens, technology smart academic classrooms, a childproof kitchen, and health counseling for families.
Donations to fund the $100,000 center start at $5, are tax deductible, and all donors will receive access to exclusive events, customized rewards from Nike, Specialized Bicycles, and more. Go to www.ICanStopObesity.org to help make this center real, check out center renderings, and review donor rewards. Jamal concludes, “We’ve all heard the statistics, been alarmed by their severity, and know a child struggling with weight. However, our emotion is rarely combined with action. Donate and spread the word if you are able. Your help will improve the life of countless families.”
Kimberly
*This post was brought to you by Reset Wellness. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect my own.
Tanya says
This is sad. I don’t know really how I feel about him being taken away from his mother. She does have a responsibility to take care of him and keep him healthy though. If he was sneaking food without her knowin that would be different, but if she knowingly let him eat a ton of food at a time then I guess something needs to happen for this child. Still don’t know where I stand I guess.
Maria Iemma says
I think education is the key. Perhaps both mother and child should join a program that teaches about nutrition. Unfortunately the fast food supersize craze is so available and kids no longer go outside to play like the older generations.
ANN*H says
Im not sure which side I think is right. I dont like that he was taken from his mom. Maybe she couldnt control what he ate – maybe he sneaked food. Then again she should have ask someone for help to deal with this before it got way out of control. Then again maybe it is from a medical problem no one is aware off. Lots to think on
Deb E says
I have a definite opinion on this since I was a hospital nutritionist before i was a nurse. People don’t realize with extreme obesity, they are slowly dying. Now they see heart disease in little kids. She does need help. If the wake up call keeps her son alive, then maybe it’s worth it.
Sherri Lewis says
I don’t think it should be considered criminal negligence…. and I don’t think he should be taken away either. As someone who is overweight, I know that it is hard to lose weight, and the more weight you have to lose, the more insurmountable it seems. Just educating people on the right choices isnt the answer, but I honestly don’t know what is…..