Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have chosen this charity because the illness it deals with is close to my heart. Firstly, an eating disorder is an illness rather than a 'diet' and people who suffer from it do not choose to- it is as uncontrollable as a broken leg. Those in charge of diagnosing people do not simply pick out those who are 'skinniest' because being thin does not mean you have an eating disorder; eating disorders exist mentally rather than physically and are a psychological coping strategy often arising from low self-confidence and low self-worth. Being thin does not mean one 'qualifies' for an eating disorder, it is merely one's mental state that doctors need to examine for a diagnosis- being thin is purely a symptom.

I feel society not only has a distorted perception of what 'healthy eating' is, but also a rather prejudiced, negative opinion of those who suffer from eating disorders. I desperately want people to recognise that an eating disorder is not a selfish pursuit of thinness, but is quite frankly a way to slowly waste away and ultimately end your life. Those suffering desperately need help.

I will have my mouth selotaped shut (apart from at meals) for 57 hours during two days of school. This is due to the fact that those suffering from eating disorders find themselves stripped of control of everything; they are instead controlled by what is frequently referred to as an 'inner demon'. Sufferers desperately want to be able to talk to someone, but because they feel helpless, they can't. Doing a sponsored silence will represent the way sufferers feel they can not speak out

I would be so grateful to receive what ever you can afford to give to help ensure that support and information can be offered to those who need it most.

If you'd like to find out more, visit the beat website here: 

http://www.b-eat.co.uk

Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Iona xx