Grant helps to establish eating-disorder support groups
Edmonton, Calgary initial locations
A new support group for people affected by eating disorders will be established in Edmonton, then expanded throughout the province, thanks in part to a government grant.
The Alberta government announced Wednesday it will provide $165,000 over three years to the Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta, a non-profit group that helps people in their long-term recovery after they receive clinical treatment.
Moyra McAllister created the group after watching her daughter Caitlin Holiday, 22, struggle with anorexia, bulimia, and an obsession with exercise for four years.
“It was all in an aim to get healthy,” said Holiday, who began abusing healthy activities after receiving positive responses and more attention from others.
McAllister believes that society is so obsessed with health, image, and weight loss that people are often too deeply entrenched in an eating disorder before others notice there may be a problem. She recommends that parents address the situation if they believe an eating disorder may be present in their children.
“Eating disorders are serious mental disorders with associated physical complications that can be lethal,” she said.
The first support groups will be established in Edmonton and Calgary, then expanded to other Alberta communities, according to a news release from Alberta Health.
The creation of these programs solves a need according to minister of health Fred Horne.
“We don’t have supports in the community for the patients and for their families after they’ve received treatments, so that’s the need we are trying to address.”
The network will offer group programming led by professionals, education and information sharing, links to experts, help with long-term recovery, and support for caregivers, family and friends, the release said.
About 1.3 per cent of Albertans — 2.2 per cent of females — are at risk of an eating disorder each year, the release said.
Eating disorders affect about 31,531 Albertans, 26,693 of them female, the release said.