As if running 10k wasn't enough, now BEAT have asked if I would fall out of a plane in the name of raising cold, hard cash. Anyone who watched me climb over mathematical bridge knows that my head for heights is below average (at best), and now I'm going to parachute over 10000 feet. Risky business.

Unfortunately, it isn't the riskiest thing I've been up to in the past ten years. Anyone who read my carefully penned sob story on my 10k run page, (https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bellabeatbulimia), or like, idk, hung around with me through the skinny goth years, knows that I struggled with, and was periodically hospitalised for, eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, OSFED, and orthorexia) for the entirety of my adolescence, wreaking untold and irreversible havoc on my body and mind. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorders, the mortality rate of anorexia nervosa shown to be as high as 10%, and the mortality rate of bulimia nervosa being as high as 6.5%. While many young women and men with these disorders die from starvation and metabolic collapse, others die of suicide, which is more common in women with anorexia than any other mental disorder. Compare that to my chances of hitting the ground and dying in a parachute accident (0.0007%) and my odds seem a lot better in this scenario. 

Luckily, full recovery is possible, no matter how much of your diet is cucumbers and black coffee. Research suggests that around 46% of anorexia patients fully recover, with a further 33% improving significantly with treatment. Similar research into bulimia suggests that 45% make a full recovery, and 27% improve considerably. That said, that leaves 20% and 23% respectively, of patients who suffer with their disorder(s) chronically, and research shows that the longer it takes for a patient to begin receiving treatment, the more unlikely full recovery becomes.

Beat is the UK's largest eating disorder charity. They provide resources, funding and support to people who struggle with eating and feeding disorders. They fund research into eating disorders. They lobby the NHS to ensure that people are provided with the research driven, compassionate and thorough care that they need and deserve. When I relapsed in my late teens, they patiently provided me with the information and resources I needed to get back into a treatment centre (exactly a year ago today!) kickstarting a recovery process which meant I have been able to eat carrot cake and maintain a healthy body weight for the first time in my adult life, but more importantly, has enabled me to go to university, start doing competitive sports again, do some work, spend more time with my friends, grow my hair, stop spending like 85% of my time in the bath trying to keep warm, y'know, the usual.

They have freed up so much time in my life to think about things that aren't macronutrients and zero noodles, and so I'm willing to (slightly) put my life on the line in the hopes of raising them the mad cash dollar they so desperately need to continue doing the life saving work that they do on a daily basis. I'd really appreciate if you considered donating.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.