The Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta (EDSNA) received a financial boost on Friday when the province announced it would provide a total of $424,000 in funding to the organization over the next three years.
“Eating disorders can affect anyone,” said Sarah Hoffman, Alberta’s Minister of Health. “Treatment often starts in the hospital, but long-term success depends on family and community supports. I’m proud to partner with EDSNA to help Alberta families where they live, no matter their circumstances.”
Hoffman says the pledge helps support Albertans no matter where they reside. “It’s to make sure we can provide that opportunity for the remote access.”
Sue Huff, the EDSNA’s executive director, says the pledge will allow the organization to focus its efforts on support instead of fundraising. “When you have stable funding you can actually invest all your energy and all your time in helping people.”
The EDSNA was established in 2014 in Edmonton before expanding to Red Deer in 2015 and Calgary the following year. Huff says there is a growing need for support outside the province’s major centres and a decision was made to close the Red Deer group and offer online support through video conferencing conducted by a registered psychologist.
“We realized we could actually cover the whole province and that was more economical,” said Huff. “We have people calling in from every corner of the province and even people outside of Alberta are calling for support because they don’t have anything in their own province.”
“Through this online video conferencing, they can actually access professional support from the comfort of their own home, from the privacy of their own home.”
An estimated five per cent of Alberta’s population will be impacted by an eating disorder, be it anorexia, bulimia or binge eating, in their lifetime and those suffering are often ashamed as a result of the stigma and misunderstandings that surround their illness.
“There’s a lot of people that are suffering,” explained Huff. “A lot of women and men, and young girls and boys even as young as eight, are being diagnosed with eating disorders.”
“Often people feel very isolated. They feel like they’re the only person in the world who has this illness.”
Brenda Sheets knows all too well the toll treatment and recovery can have. Sheets says she suffered from anorexia many years ago in a time when support systems were not available. “I was really fortunate that I was able to overcome the illness and heal mentally and physically and emotionally.”
She says her journey to recovery turned a corner when her mindset transitioned. “It was really important for me to change my feelings of shame from having suffered from an eating disorder to that of pride of recovering from an eating disorder.”
Sheets continues to champion for those who face similar battles to those she overcame. “Every dollar, every effort that can be made to bringing awareness to the eating disorders is what we need to do.”
For additional information regarding the EDSNA and the support the organization offers, visit Eating Disorder Support Network of Alberta.
With files from CTV's Brad MacLeod
