I was ashamed. I was a mum of four beautiful children, but I had allowed my weight to drop so low that my hearing was affected and my body couldn’t function properly. I couldn’t honestly see how bad I had become. I knew I needed help but as I wasn’t the stereotypical person with anorexia it wasn’t easy. I found your charity on Facebook and in all honesty it was my last hope. I remember crying as I wrote my first message to them, as I honestly knew it was my last hope. I had given up, I really thought my kids were better off without me. I knew I was dying and I had actually accepted it.

A few hours later I had a message back and it was from Anne and for the first time ever in my illness I actually felt hope!  Anne assured me I wasn’t alone and told me the charity would help me. I was sceptical at first but I can honestly say it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.  Colin, Anne and the other volunteers have been amazing in my recovery. I can never thank them enough, they have never judged me, just showed me compassion, understanding and commitment to help me recover.  They were a huge part of giving my children their mum back and helping me to recover!

The charity really was a lifesaver for me at a time where I felt unsupported and lost in my recovery journey.

After reaching out but struggling to get NHS support, I turned to the charity to help recover from the eating disorder I’d had since my teens. I wanted and needed to change but didn’t know where to start. Talking to people who understood what I was going through was invaluable at this time.

The charity supported me to access the treatment I needed and also provided a support network for my recovery journey. Fully recovering from my eating disorder was a process that took years. There were many bumps along the way but the charity supported me through them. I think a big part of recovery is learning to love yourself again and learning who you are separate from your eating disorder.