Woman eats her way to 1000 pounds

By Sydney Murray

     Seven hundred fifty dollars a week, $39,000 a year, to help fight global hunger could greatly help out many people of the world, but instead, Donna Simpson of New Jersey, decides to spend it on food for just herself as she tries to reach her goal of weighing 1000 pounds and becoming the fattest woman in the world.

     As Simpson grew up, she always had weight issues because her mother always cooked big meals. At one point, she tried to lose weight, but had trouble because her thoughts constantly turned to food. Eventually, she decided she no longer wished to try and fit in with other girls and was happy when she gained her weight back.

     Simpson currently weighs in at 604 pounds. She has two children, ages fourteen and three. When her daughter was born three years ago, she became the heaviest woman to ever give birth. It took a team of thirty medics to get Simpson through the birth.

     Many people want to point fingers at Simpson, saying she is disgusting and lazy and following an absurd dream, all of which are, in many ways, true. The saddening thing, though, is that some in our society are actually helping and encouraging her to reach her goal of 1000 pounds. Many people pay to watch her stuff her face with food. Some have sent her food, and one man even gave her his credit card number so she was never without "enough" food.

     Simpson is constantly saying “I’m not harming anyone” when, in reality, she is greatly harming herself and even possibly American taxpayers. According to FoxNews.com, “Obesity causes a minimum $1,429 increase, or 42 percent in medical costs. Research shows lifestyle choices and behaviors drive 87.5 percent of the cost for health care claims.” Aside from herself, she also has two children she is neglecting to think about. Her young daughter could very well lose her mother soon if Simpson doesn’t change her lifestyle.

     Many people around the world already bash Americans for how much the food they eat, waste, and throw away. Simpson is currently consuming six times the amount of food she should each day. This food could be put to much better use rather than contributing to her gluttonous lifestyle. Around the world, one child dies every six seconds from malnutrition. According to The United Nations World Food Program, one dollar could feed five children every day. Even if Simpson still spent $100 dollars a week on groceries, she would still be able to feed 3,250 poverty-stricken children every week with the $650 dollars she would save. It seems Simpson, as well as many in our society, need to get their priorities straight and realize what is truly important in this world.