Being recognised at Beat's birthday awards

Twenty five years of fighting back at eating disorders and educating people about the impact they have deserves a year of celebration, right? Well, that's exactly what Beat is doing throughout '14.

The charity has launched a five-point 25th Anniversary Manifesto. Five little promises it's making to help improve life for those affected by eating disorders. Five points which they (and I) hope prevent people suffering in the first place. Five areas in which other people can pledge to join the fight on too. Those little promises are things I'm proud to say I've already actively been pushing for since becoming a Media Volunteer for Beat during my own recovery, which leads me nicely on to the Beat Awards. 

I was honoured to find out I had been nominated and then short-listed for a Beat Volunteer Recognition Award for the campaigning I do on those very pledges. Seriously, honoured. 

An invitation landed in my inbox to a special event at the House of Commons on the 4th June during National Volunteers Week and I found out about the inspiring folk I was up against in the 'Public Awards' Campaigning category. First thoughts? No chance. But I found a little black dress, dusted off my Viv Westwood shoes and my amazing friend Ilona and I headed to the smoke. 

 

We were greeted by the Beat team onto the Thames-side Terrace Pavilion and spent time sipping wine and talking to other volunteers, MPs and eating disorders advocates. I was honoured that both my local MP, Jeremy Lefroy and Brooks Newmark MP came along to support me, after all it's them I keep pestering to help make change possible. Caroline Nokes MP, who chairs the All-Party group which got eating disorders talked about in parliament opened the event. Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd MP spoke and presented the first award, the Lifetime Achievement Award to Diana Davis.

Jeremy Lefroy MP, me and Brooks Newmark MP

Next the awards move on to the other categories, from innovation, to fundraising and from education to support. Then it was time for the campaigning award, recognising; 

"A volunteer who is a passionate and powerful champion; demonstrating enthusiasm and passion, they provide a voice in helping to achieve Beat’s mission."

I was one of four nominees, along with Helen Missen, a Beat Cymru Ambassador, fellow media volunteer Jenny Cole and Rosie Driffill, Self Help and Support Groups Facilitator and Publicity Officer. And then my name was read out by Beat's Chief Executive, Susan Ringwood and my award handed to me by Caroline Nokes MP. I'd only gone and won it. 

Caroline Nokes MP, Me and my MP, Jeremy Lefroy. 

I am beyond honoured to have been recognised for the work I've done to support Beat's mission, I never thought I'd be able to make a difference. I just talk, share and stand up for what I believe. However, winning this award isn't just about what I do, but it's a reminder that collectively we CAN all make a difference. I do nothing special other than be honest about what it's like to have anorexia and be fighting it. Personally, I will keep pushing for what I believe needs to change and in my own recovery, I'm going to use it as a reminder of the part I can play in preventing others going through what I have.

With the other Award winners, Susan Ringwood and Caroline Nokes MP

So, I'm really bad at being proud of myself, as you may imagine with my illness, so I'll leave my final words to one of the people who nominated me: "Sarah is an inspiration to many. Still in recovery from anorexia she spends much of her time campaigning, getting involved in Beat's mission and also using her position as a journalist for good. She actively participates in her local NHS Trust and has lobbied her MP - even managing to secure a meeting in Parliament. She is a champion of Beat, active on her blog and social media and consistently participates in media opportunities helpling to enforce Beat's Guidelines and raise awareness."

Here's the gushy 'Oscar style' bit; Thank you to all of you who've read my blog, listened to my rants, retweeted my awareness tweets and to everyone who's supported my own recovery. To my EDU team who saved my life. Thank you to Jeremy Lefroy for his continued support. Thank you to Brooks Newmark who actively keeps in touch with me and to BEAT for allowing me to do what I do. To Ilona for inspiring me and kicking me in the right direction daily. And always, to all my friends and family for your belief that I can beat anorexia, even when I worry I won't. 

I really wouldn't be able to do any of this without you, and trust me when I say, I haven't even got started on the waves I want to make yet. 

See the FULL list of inspiring winners and what they've done for ED awareness HERE

Talking Anorexia & Busting Myths

How are more people going to understand eating disorders? How are more people going to be able to ask for help? How are we going to keep mental health in the forefront of MP and doctors minds?

Answer: We need to keep talking about it. (or shouting about it where necessary!) 

Break the Silence of anorexia. Talk about it.

Let's be honest, they're pretty damn complex and confusing, for the sufferer and everyone else.

 But a fear of the unknown and misunderstanding of eating disorders does two things; It traps sufferers in silence, scared of being judged for their illness and it creates a stigma around what eating disorders REALLY are and who really suffers. 

The only way to tackle both head on is to start conversations, educate, expose talk and try and get our heads around the nitty gritty, often sensitive and scary issues surrounding eating disorders. 

And that's what I did today. 

You can hear my open and honest interview about my own battles with anorexia with Perry Spiller on BBC Radio Stoke for the next 7 days on the BBC iPlayer HERE  (or click the logo)

If you're struggling with an eating disorder or are worried about a family member or friend please get help and get in touch with someone:-

BEAT - The UK's eating disorder charity 

Mind Charity - The mental health charity

Team Recovery - An online support network of 'Recovery Ninjas' I co-founded

If you're a fellow 'media lovie' who'd like to SHOUT about mental health and talk about eating disorders, please, please take time to read Time to Change and BEAT's Media Guidelines.

Everyone mentioned here can also be found on Twitter. 

From anorexia to oars

I’m always hugely inspired by anyone who raises money for charities they feel passionately about, whether that’s jumping out of aeroplanes, running marathons for Mind or walking a mile for Motor Neurone Disease. My own best friend ran a gruelling 12 miles last February for BEAT to show her support for my own recovery from anorexia. (It still gives me goose bumps when I think about it!)

But to me, it is even more inspirational when someone overcomes their own battle with an eating disorder and goes on to raise money to help other people and raise awareness. So, how can you top overcoming personal adversity to get stuck in with fundraising I hear you ask? Well, 

How about smashing a rowing first too? 

Eight women from Oxford University’s Corpus Christi College Boat Club are preparing to do just that. 

In June they’ll be rowing an arm-aching 180km from Oxford to London to raise money for Eating Disorders Charity, BEAT. They are the first female crew to give it a go. However, not all of these super-women were always as strong. 

At 13 years old Esther Rich (pictured centre front) was battling anorexia nervosa, a year later she was in the grips of the illness and at 15 years old was admitted as an inpatient at an eating disorder unit in Stoke on Trent. 

She explains; “My illness was triggered mainly by friendship breakdowns, which left me wanting to be invisible, it really set in at 14.”  After nine tough months fighting Esther was discharged from the service. 

Now, aged 19 and fully recovered, she is a second year psychology student at Oxford University and plans on becoming a Clinical Psychologist. She told me she’s passionate about giving back; “I want to help those in the same situation I was in. I have also just secured a supervisor to allow me to write my final year dissertation on the causes and treatment of eating disorders.” 

She added; “I now volunteer as a Young Ambassador for Beat, which involves raising awareness, speaking at conferences, talking to current inpatients about recovery and fundraising for the charity to continue their amazing work.” 

Esther, happier and healthier.

Esther, who rows at bow (the position best suited to her 5ft2 frame, I'm told!) and the rest of the CCBC crew are pushing their bodies to the limit to raise as much money as they can for BEAT, setting themselves a target of £10,000. A sum of money which could raise a lot more awareness of eating disorders and provide support and advice for sufferers, their family and friends. 

As they hit the water to build strength for their challenge, they’ve coined to motto:

‘We will push our bodies to the limits to stop eating disorder sufferers from doing the same.’ 

They hope to show others that you can overcome the grips of an eating disorder and go on to be healthy, strong and to help others. Tell me, how can you get more inspirational than that?

***

The ladies will be hitting the water between 23rd - 26th June 2013 and you can sponsor Esther and the crew via their Just Giving page here: www.justgiving.com/londonrow 

If you want to know more about eating disorders or are worried about a loved one, get in touch with BEAT or Team Recovery for support. 

Who do you know?....Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2013.

Next week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week...and you know what? Everybody knows somebody. 

You all know me. 

Eating disorders are SERIOUS, with the highest mortality rate of any other mental illness. They can't be treated with drugs, there is no magic cure, there is no quick-fix and there is no easy way out. After all, only 46% of people with anorexia nervosa fully recover, 20% will die prematurely from it, a third make 'some progress'. 

As many of you know in May 2011 I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa. I wan't to be one of the 46%.
After years of destructive thinking, hiding, over-working, exercising, restricting or what I saw as 'dieting' and being 'healthy' my life fell apart at the seams. Since starting on the rocky road of recovery, I have had my ups, my downs, my god damn AWFUL days and seen some light at the end of the tunnel, but whatever hurdle I've faced, I've not looked back. I promised (last EDAW) that I would keep 'pushing on' and promised family and friends I would always TRY. And I am. 

So, please, keep talking, keep reducing the stigma, don't be afraid to ask someone if they're ok, and if they say yes, but you're still worried, ask again. Anorexia is a sneaky illness, don't let it rip your sister, friend, brother, aunty or daughter away from you with its lies. It nearly took me. Everybody knows somebody, after all.

Please visit my pro-recovery project TEAM RECOVERY which celebrates it's first birthday next week for more recovery facts, figures and support.