Sandy Hassink

Sandy Hassink is a respected pediatrician and a long-time champion for children’s health. For over 30 years, she has worked to combat childhood obesity and the social stigma that comes with it. In the 1980s, after noticing a rise in overweight patients, Sandy developed a new approach to treatment. She created a team of doctors, nutritionists, and other experts to provide a holistic treatment plan. This model for comprehensive care caught on and is now used in hospitals across the United States. Sandy is a former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), where she advocated for policies that would support good nutrition in schools and communities. She is also the author of the award-winning book, A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Obesity. Though now a retired physician, she continues to serve as the Medical Director for the AAP’s Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight. Her work has transformed the medical community’s approach to childhood obesity, moving the conversation from blame to compassionate care and prevention.