A year later than planned, in October 2022 I will be running the London Marathon in support of BEAT, the UK’s leading Eating Disorder Charity.

Regularly misunderstood, eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that ruin and, too often, take lives. More than a million people in the UK suffer from these illnesses - including my mum, Liz.

Like many people, my mum’s struggle with eating disorders began when she was a teenager. And now, more than half a century later, ED - as we call her eating disorder – still dominates her life on a day-to-day basis.

Over the years, through anorexia and bulimia, ED has affected all aspects of my mum’s life, putting a huge strain on relationships with friends and family and having a devastating effect on her health. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness so I consider it a miracle my mum is still alive today.

Worst of all is that she suffered in silence for so long. Every day from the age of 14 has been her own personal battle. A battle she has fought alone. Of course, there have been the attempted interventions, the well-meaning gestures and offers of support, not to mention all the failed meal plans, countless arguments and tearful pleas. But the insidious nature of eating disorders prevented her from accepting what was obvious to everyone around her – that something wasn’t right.

Thankfully, this all changed in April 2020. COVID-19 and the national lockdowns have exacerbated the impact of eating disorders for many people around the country to tragic effect. Fortunately, for my mum, it had the opposite effect, providing an unexpected turning point. 

For the first time in my life, we had an open, honest conversation about her eating and her relationship with food.

Now, more than two years on, my mum describes this moment as her first step on the road to discovering ‘the real Liz’. Soon after this moment, she found BEAT and the incredible services they provide. She phoned their helpline and spoke to experts who helped to make sense of the illness and address the stigma around it whilst providing non-judgmental and invaluable advice and support.

Today, my mum still suffers from an eating disorder but is no longer suffering in silence. She talks openly about her battle with ED, the good days and the not so good ones and is making steady progress in overcoming the illness that has defined her life for so long. She
now feels excitement, rather than dread at the talk of food and step by step is rediscovering the real Liz and a life worth living.

It is a long, hard journey but thanks to BEAT, it is one my mum is better prepared to take.

When I told my mum that I am running for BEAT, she said “If my story can help just one person recover from an eating disorder, it will be worth the world. No-one should have to suffer.”

By donating today, you can help BEAT to provide support to people like my mum who are suffering from Eating Disorders. Thank You.

What do BEAT Do?

Eating Disorders steal childhoods, devastate relationships and pull families apart. But, with the right treatment and support, recovery is possible.

• BEAT’s national Helpline exists to encourage and empower people to get help quickly, because we know the sooner someone starts treatment, the greater their chance of recovery. People can contact BEAT online or by phone 365 days a year.

• BEAT also support family and friends, equipping them with essential skills and advice, so they can help their loved ones recover whilst also looking after their own mental health.

• And BEAT campaign to increase knowledge among healthcare and other relevant professionals, and for better funding for high-quality treatment, so that when people are brave enough to take vital steps towards recovery, the right help is available to them.

The work BEAT does means that every year lives are saved, families are kept together, and people are able to live free of eating disorders.