Of the 30 million Americans estimated to suffer from eating disorders, only around 10 percent are able to receive treatment. Anorexia nervosa, and eating disorders similar to it, is an expensive mental illness that requires steep payment. Untreated, these illnesses take lives. Treated, they may require as much as $30,000 and up per month per patient.
For this reason 'Project HEAL' co-founders, Liana Rosenman and Kristina Saffran, themed their fundraiser 'Fighting for 500'. The event, hosted in Uber's San Francisco headquarters, seeks to help the 500 applicants who reached out to Project HEAL for assistance in treatment.
Since 2008, 'Project HEAL' has taken on the treatment of 36 patients. As one of only three organisations in the US to shoulder the cost of treating eating disorders, Project HEAL's founders understand the need and the urgency of opening their doors to many more.
Liana Rosenman and Kristina Saffran met as teenagers, when they themselves were undergoing treatment for eating disorders.
Saffran speaks of her battle: "I didn't think recovery was possible for a long time and I had many lapses along the way... But I was lucky, with an awesome support group, top-class treatment and frankly, a great insurance plan, I got there. Full recovery from this disease is possible. That said, the journey that enabled me to get my life back cost upwards of $200,000 -- something that most Americans simply can't afford."
Besides the funds for treatment, a strong support group is also key to healing from the disorder. Uber co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick is a current supporter for his girlfriend, violinist Gabi Holzwarth, who is undergoing her own treatment for an eating disorder.
"We all have a sister, a daughter, a mother, a partner or a best friend who is going through a tough time. There is light at the end of that tunnel -- and they don't always see it themselves... As a supporter, it's our job to make sure that they know that our love is unconditional, that their beauty starts from the inside and that our support will always be there to help them get back up, no matter what."
Arianna Huffington, of Huffington Post, also spoke of her experience as a supporter for her youngest daughter, Isabella: "Anybody who is a parent knows that there is no fiercer love than that of a parent to a child... When your child goes through something like that, especially when it comes to your relationship with food -- which, as a Greek, is something that is sacred -- you just cannot imagine anybody refusing to eat. I kept thinking of my mother as I was dealing with my own guilt, thinking how did I bring this about? What did I do to make this be a condition for my daughter?"
Although her daughter is now doing well at 24, Huffington still clearly remembers seeing her daughter say 'No' to her birthday cake and seeing clumps of Isabela's hair come off while in a London salon.
While the fundraiser brought in a $500,000 victory toward the battle against eating disorders, a deeper look into the cause of the epidemic is worth going into. Beyond the treatment is the need to understand and address the elements of a culture that brings about this state of mental unhealth to both men and women, who punish their body for the sake of what they deem as approval, acceptance and success. While these elements are ignored, eating disorders will continue to claim the highest mortality rate among mental illnesses.
See Also:
- What Drives Anorexia, Key Aspect Unlocked by Research
- How the Food and Mind Connection Holds the Secret to Successful Weight Loss
