Obesity Community Fund

19/12/2025

What your membership fee does.

Your monthly membership fee does a lot of heavy lifting: it helps fund life-saving bariatric surgery for selected patients; it supports education about obesity as a disease, not a personal failure; and it strengthens our advocacy work to change how obesity is funded and treated in South Africa. If you are living with obesity or care about someone who is, membership is one of the most powerful steps you can take.

17/12/2025

16/12/2025

Membership in 3 simple steps.

Becoming a member is simple:
1) Download and complete the Obesity Community Fund application form.
2) Attach your supporting documents (ID, proof of residence, basic financial and medical details).
3) Sign the agreement to support the fund with your monthly contribution.

Once we receive your completed form, we confirm your membership and keep you updated on the fund’s impact.

16/12/2025

The numbers are staggering. How do you make a change? You start.

We have started.
We will continue.
Join us.

Obesity is a big driver of healthcare spending in South Africa, yet most medical schemes still limit cover for effective treatments. The gap between the scale of the problem and the funding response is widening, with long-term consequences for patients, insurers and the public purse.

12/12/2025

What does it mean to be an OCF member?

When you become a member of the Obesity Community Fund, you are joining a community of people who believe obesity deserves proper medical care. Your monthly contribution helps us fund bariatric surgery and ongoing care for people who cannot afford it. Membership does not guarantee surgery – it powers the fund so that more people can access life-saving treatment.

Learn more about what membership means on our website.
www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za

11/12/2025

Yes!

10/12/2025

Four South Africans living with obesity have received sponsored bariatric surgery through the Obesity Community Fund (OCF)’s first official theatre list at Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital.

This milestone comes as South Africa’s first national clinical guidelines for obesity treatment are released in the South African Medical Journal, recognising obesity as a chronic, complex disease that deserves compassionate, evidence-based care.

These surgeries are made possible through a powerful partnership model that includes:
- Respiratory Care Africa (RCA)
- Vertice
- Innovative Surgery Fund (ISF)
- Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital
- OCF patient funding and advocacy

By combining device sponsorship, hospital support, affordable technology, and patient-led funding, world-class treatment becomes accessible to more South Africans, without compromising on safety, clinical standards, or multidisciplinary care.

“Obesity is not a personal failure – it’s a medical condition,” says Mari Lee, OCF trustee and bariatric patient. “These guidelines bring South Africa in line with international best practice.”

This is the beginning of a more compassionate and sustainable future for obesity treatment in South Africa.

Read the full press release on our website:
https://www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za/_files/ugd/8515d1_176a15a9de0a45b088ce3f096882d30f.pdf

Join us. Support. Learn. Advocate.

26/11/2025

26/11/2025

26/11/2025

30/06/2025

Join us for a FREE Webinar Info Session!
Date: Wednesday, 24 July 2025
Time: 19:00

Are you or a loved one considering bariatric surgery or wanting to better understand obesity and treatment options? Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more and ask your questions in a safe, supportive space.

The theme of this month’s q&a is: Navigating the emotional and relational journey of bariatric surgery.

Register via the link on the Obesity Community Fund website.
Let’s walk the journey to better health together! Co

17/06/2025

Join Us Tonight!
An online information session about the Obesity Community Fund is taking place tonight, 17 June at 19:00 via Google Meet.

🔍 Topic: What is the Obesity Community Fund?
💻 Where: Google Meet (registration link below)
⏰ When: 17 June | 19:00

In South Africa, medical treatment for obesity is costly and difficult to access. Join us to learn how the Obesity Community Fund plans to make bariatric surgery more affordable and accessible, and discover how you can become a member.

This session is open to the public — whether you’re a healthcare worker, patient, prospective patient, community leader, educator, or simply passionate about public health, we’d love to have you there.

Come learn how you can get involved or apply for funding.
Register here: https://www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za/event-details/what-is-the-obesity-community-fund-information-session