Story
In Janurary 2014, I was diagnosed with anorexia. Recovering was extremely difficult and distressing... But, ultimately, it was worth it.
The problem is, however, that many people still face anorexia or another eating disorder as an everyday reality. Over 725,000 people are currently affected by an eating disorder... That's about 725 secondary schools worth of people... In the UK alone.
Next month, I am going to walk 70 Kilometres in 48 Hours because I want to help the many people suffering with this horrible illness to recover. At the moment, only 46% of people with anorexia fully recover and in 2009, it was estimated that 13% of people with an eating disorder die. However, it is not the eating disorder that kills them, rather the physical effects like heart failure, organ failure and malnutrition. I want to see the end of this.
In the UK, the quality of help that you get depends on the severity of your eating disorder... If you are in the top 10% of critical cases, you are supported by a specialist eating disorders nurse and a counsellor. However, if you're in that other 90%, you only get to work with a counsellor. Counsellors help with the psychological side of the disorder, but do not set food plans or have the depth of understanding in nutrition as a specialist nurse. This means that many people who start in the 90% get worse instead of better... You can have as much psychological support as you want, but if you don't start eating properly, you won't recover. Beat stands against this and so do I, which is one of the main reasons I am trekking. I want all sufferers to get the support they need. If it's enough to cause them to suffer, it's enough to be taken seriously.
Beat does some incredible work and is the UK's leading charity for eating disorders. Just some of the work that Beat does consists of setting up support groups, helping people to find the right care and offering a helpline for those who are in need... regardless of the severity of their eating disoder!
I would love you to join me in this and donate, if you feel comfortable to. Thank you!
The problem is, however, that many people still face anorexia or another eating disorder as an everyday reality. Over 725,000 people are currently affected by an eating disorder... That's about 725 secondary schools worth of people... In the UK alone.
Next month, I am going to walk 70 Kilometres in 48 Hours because I want to help the many people suffering with this horrible illness to recover. At the moment, only 46% of people with anorexia fully recover and in 2009, it was estimated that 13% of people with an eating disorder die. However, it is not the eating disorder that kills them, rather the physical effects like heart failure, organ failure and malnutrition. I want to see the end of this.
In the UK, the quality of help that you get depends on the severity of your eating disorder... If you are in the top 10% of critical cases, you are supported by a specialist eating disorders nurse and a counsellor. However, if you're in that other 90%, you only get to work with a counsellor. Counsellors help with the psychological side of the disorder, but do not set food plans or have the depth of understanding in nutrition as a specialist nurse. This means that many people who start in the 90% get worse instead of better... You can have as much psychological support as you want, but if you don't start eating properly, you won't recover. Beat stands against this and so do I, which is one of the main reasons I am trekking. I want all sufferers to get the support they need. If it's enough to cause them to suffer, it's enough to be taken seriously.
Beat does some incredible work and is the UK's leading charity for eating disorders. Just some of the work that Beat does consists of setting up support groups, helping people to find the right care and offering a helpline for those who are in need... regardless of the severity of their eating disoder!
I would love you to join me in this and donate, if you feel comfortable to. Thank you!