Eating Disorder Awareness Week Coming Soon

As the Eating Disorder Awareness Week approaches, we’re going to see a lot more articles in the media like the story of a Canadian man who is campaigning to raise awareness of EDs as well as reverse the stigma associated with them.  The article was posted on one of Canada’s most respected leading news websites, the CBC News, and states,

Events will be held in high schools and shopping malls across Newfoundland and Labrador the week of Feb. 1 to raise awareness of eating disorders.

“Having gone through this personally, I would suggest to families that they be very aware to changes in personality of their adolescents,” said Vince Withers, who chairs the Newfoundland and Labrador Eating Disorder Foundation. “People with and eating disorder will have noticeable changes in terms of mood, self esteem, school, in terms of having their friends around them.”

Withers founded the Eating Disorders Foundation after the death of his daughter Renata in 2006.

He hopes events this week will reverse the stigma attached to potentially fatal eating disorders.

I read that the Eating Disorder Awareness Week is actually from February 21 to 27 this year, although the other campaign in eastern Canada that’s happening now will add to the positive attention focused on these life threatening conditions.  I support any and all campaigns to raise awareness and stop the suffering that eating disorders can cause!  It is my sincere wish that all people who are living with eating disorders today will be able to recover completely or develop a healthier balance with their ED so that they no longer suffer from the pain, depression, anxiety, isolation, shame, judgements, misunderstandings, stigma and stereotypes that often go hand in hand with them.