Story
Hello All,
If you've come this far, then you're obviously pretty intrigued as to why I’m doing this mad cap, bonkers activity and how I actually intend to do it!?
Well, I’m being spurred on by the fact that I am raising money for a charity close to my heart, BEAT!
BEAT are an Eating Disorders association which helps care for, educates and tries to raise awareness for men, women and children suffering with eating disorders and their families.
I have just turned 30, an amazing milestone considering 12 years ago the likelihood of me reaching this age was very low.
I want to share my experience with people in order to help raise money for BEAT and highlight the importance of specialists, family and friends when trying to successfully overcome an eating disorder..... Please read on....
I’m privileged enough to have a loving family, and to have made some very good friends in my life. At school I got good grades and I loved to sing (I still do).
However, from the age of 16 – 21(ish) I battled with very severe Anorexia, throughout my senior school years at Cedars Upper School and into my twenties.
The condition affected me when I was at a crucial stage of my life, turning into adulthood; in fact I believe it was a mixture of these adult stresses that influenced my behaviour. There was only one thing at that time, which I felt I could truly control and that was my food.
Unfortunately I was too ill to revise for my A levels, my concentration and memory was little to none and my results showed this. I had high hopes to attend the Welsh College of Music and study musical theatre, but this was not possible as I was so ill.
I consider myself incredibly lucky that I sought help just in time and attended sessions at the Tindall Centre in Aylesbury.
I promised my family I would try.
Weighing under 5 stone it was a very sobering time, but with the help of my family, husband, friends and the specialists I began to slowly recover. It took many years before I could socialise, go out to restaurants, work full time or even adopt a healthy attitude towards food and routines, but I did it and throughout the whole experience I and my family kept their sense of humour, something I know helped massively,
I am both proud and pleased to say that today I am a happy, healthy married woman with a career and an amazing network of friends and family.
Eating Disorders are so often misconstrued as disorders that only affect young girls, who read too many magazines and think they need to lose weight.
This is not always the case and there are many triggers which might contribute to someone having an eating disorder.
To highlight the charity and the fabulous work they do I am going to be running the Virgin London Marathon!
I started to run about 2 years ago, but not very far! … I was encouraged to take up triathlons too, but I would never have dreamed of running a marathon!
So I need lots of support and encouragement and am asking for donations to help me smash my target of a donation of £2500 for BEAT. I understand that there are many people probably requesting sponsorship for this marathon, but if everyone I know could donate a teensy weensy bit, I’d be a very happy bunny! Thank you SO much for taking the time to read this and I’ll see you at the finish line (if not I’ll send you photos!) Jeni xxxxxx