Hi guys,

I wandered over to the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America's page to read up about their new grant program for WLS last night - and saw that they ask the recipients of the grants raise a certain amount of money for the foundation.

The site one of the recipients is using to raise her funds is giveforward.com

Here's my question - would anyone consider using this site to raise the funds for the WLS procedure? Is it selfish to do that, when there are people on the site raising money for kidney transplants, etc?

Opinions?

I don't think that anything is wrong for making them pay a certain amount.. because I would hate to know that they aren't really into it 100 percent.

I think it's fine. If someone doesn't want to give, or would prefer to help someone get a kidney transplant, then they have the right and ability to do so. It's not like WLS is frivolous-- I mean, sure if someone was trying to raise money for a boob job (even a post-WLS-boob job, lol), I'd think it in very poor taste. But obesity is a serious health condition just like kidney disease.

I guess I'm on the fence with this one. I do feel the way stateofzen feels when she talks about boob jobs vs. WLS.

Morbid Obesity has the word morbid in it for a reason. It's a serious condition. That being said, I don't think it's even close to organ transplant when it comes to needing help with funding. I paid cash for my surgery. I have no health insurance, so I financed it and made payments. This surgery is much less than people pay for a car nowdays.

It bothers me sometimes when people want assistance with things, but drive an expansive car and manage to spend money on things like fake fingernails and pedicures on a regular basis. I guess that is why I'm on the fence about the fundraising thing. I would have to know details about the person before I would donate for WLS.

thanks everyone for your responses. While it may be good for some to go the fundraising route - I just don't think I could do it for the entire amount....maybe if I received a grant and only had to raise a portion.

good luck to all still searching for a way to have this procedure done...I'm not any closer...my insurance has an exclusion w/ no appeal possibility