|
Hillary Rodham
Clinton
Senator
Hillary Rodham
Clinton (Dem-NY) has been a supporter of child and adolescent health
legislation for many years. As a member of the Senate Health Committee,
she added eating disorder language to the 2003 Improved Nutrition and
Physical Activity (IMPACT) Act.
She cosponsored the Paul Wellstone Mental Health Equitable Treatment
Act and testified for the need for insurance parity for those suffering
from mental health disorders.
At a
Congressional briefing hosted by the Eating Disorders Coalition in 2001,
Senator Clinton stated, “I hope we are successful at
persuading insurance companies to provide the kind of treatment that is
needed, in raising awareness through education and outreach, in getting
more research and treatment dollars in general so that this disease which
strikes so many vibrant and intelligent young people will be seen for what
it is - something that we have to invest some time and money and our mental
and emotional resources trying to combat.”
In
2002, the Eating Disorders Coalition honored Senator Clinton with their
Policy Award for her devotion to work in this field
Senator
Clinton is not able to attend the vigil in person, but will recording a
message for us to play.
Kim
Cole-Stitt
Kim
Cole-Stitt is a product of a bi-racial marriage and is founder of
LoveMyBody, a non-profit organization that promotes awareness and education
in hopes of combating and preventing eating disorders, obesity and negative
body image within the minority and multi-racial communities. She is an
activist and a spokesperson within the eating disorder industry.
At the
age of 16, after seeing a movie about a young women suffering with an
eating disorder on television, thinking that she was “stronger and
smarter” than the person who had bulimia in the movie, she engaged in
her first binging and purging episode.
At that time, she had no idea that her illness would control and
consume her throughout the next 13 ½ years. Initially, the disease Kim suffered
from was embarrassing so she told no one and suffered with her eating
disorder in private. Seven
years after her first purge, Kim began seeking help from therapists and
informed one of her parents and a few select “friends”. With the lack of knowledge,
information and awareness of the disease in the medical and public
community, it was difficult to find someone who could help, or knew how to
help. In addition, it was also
increasingly difficult for Kim to seek help because of personal identity
and self worth issues and racial identification issues related around
eating disorders. After Kim finally
admitted and realized she needed help, she realized that in the minority
community, an eating disorder was considered to be a “white
disease”. Due to the
embarrassment of the disease and not wanting to admit to having an illness
that was defined by a person’s “color”, her recovery was
overpowered by her fear of personal and social un-acceptance.
It wasn’t until 2002,
when Kim encountered a friend that constantly confronted her about her
eating disorder and helped her through her recovery. He helped her realize her self-worth
and never stopped asking how she was doing with her illness. Eventually, she was able to
surrender her illness totally to Jesus. On November 4, 2003, Kim had her
last episode. She celebrates
her recovery the 4th of every month, and focuses on nurturing, loving and
respecting herself and her body.
Joy Kasmarcik
Joy
Kasmarcik is a resident of the upstate NY area. She is a wife, mother and a
grandmother. She and her family
are avid outdoors people and enjoy spending as much time as they can
fishing, hiking and camping.
Their family van is always packed and ready to go so they may
explore previously undiscovered (at least by them) areas of their home
state. Cold weather is not a
deterrent and ice fishing is always a possibility. When she isn't out enjoying the
woods of NY she can be found on one of the local golf courses.
She is
also recovered from Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Joy is very active in
helping people find their voices.
She herself first found hers in the online world of recovery
support. It was the first place
she had felt safe enough to reveal she had a problem. She joined the
Something Fishy for Eating Disorders Remember It Hurts Community Bulletin
Board & Community in 1998.
Joy
has gone on to help others by volunteering as one of their moderators. She
currently volunteers as a moderator for 4 of their online support forums.
Julia Patton
Julia
Patton was diagnosed with severe anorexia at age seventeen. By the end of
her senior year
in
high school, her illness had progressed so far that she ended up in the
emergency room at a local hospital and the doctors did not know if she would
survive through the night.
Julia's parents, desperate to save their daughter, made a decision
to send her to Remuda Ranch for intensive impatient treatment.
Although Julia continued to fight recovery at Remuda, her stay there
marked a turning point in her life. The treatment at Remuda, which
emphasized God's love and care was significantly different; there she was
able to gain some of the tools necessary for recovery. Though too ill for physical
activity, Julia was encouraged to work toward wellness in order to pursue
her true passion...dance. As her health and strength slowly improved
and Julia was gradually allowed to dance again, she felt inspired to take
her dance to a new level.
Julia
started a worship dance team at her church, and also began performing
inspirational dance works for other local churches. She enrolled at Ball State University
where she studied nutrition and dance and performed with the University
Dance Company. She has choreographed, taught, and performed many
pieces for dance shows and musical plays. Julia is currently entertaining
people daily as a performer at Walt Disney
World
in Orlando, Florida.
At the
Candlelight Vigil, Julia will perform a dance she created that depicts her
journey with anorexia. It is set to a poem she wrote throughout her
recovery about her thoughts, feelings, and experiences. She wishes to share
strength and hope with those who struggle with eating disorders.
Jenni Schaefer
In dance class, at the age of only four years old,
Jenni Schaefer thought she was fat.
Jenni
Schaefer knows eating disorders. Schaefer knows how far down an eating
disorder can take someone, but she also knows how to find freedom.
Based
on the unique therapeutic technique by psychotherapist and author (Embracing
Fear), Thom Rutledge, Jenni treated her eating disorder as a relationship
rather than an illness. Naming her anorexia/bulimia Ed – an acronym
for “eating disorder,” Jenni learned to distinguish her
thoughts from “Ed’s thoughts,” and eventually got rid of
“him.”
Following
years of therapy, Jenni wrote a book about her experience, Life Without
Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How
You Can Too (McGraw-Hill). She also has a story included in the book Chicken
Soup for the Recovering Soul (HCI Books). Jenni is gaining a national
reputation as an inspirational speaker and has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Cosmogirl, Publisher’s
Weekly, and Woman’s World.
Jenni
is also a singer/songwriter --- using music throughout her work to help
others. She often sings when she speaks to an audience. Jenni is also one
of a kind by the fact that she actually incorporates humor into her work.
Despite the fact that eating disorders are such a serious subject, she
finds that humor adds a fresh perspective and provides a hopeful light. And
today that is what Jenni Schaefer is all about – hope.
Mary Tyler S.
Mary
Tyler is currently an 8th grader at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Alexandria, VA. She has a healthy body image, having
grown up watching her older sister suffer from severe anorexia nervosa and
go through hospitalizations and treatment. She has been singing since she
could talk, and hopes to become a professional singer in the future.
While
she has no professional voice training, her family will tell you that she
spends most of her waking hours singing some type of song...to the
annoyance of her younger brother!
She is also currently starring as the "Cheshire Cat" in
her school play of Alice
in Wonderland.
Michele Terry
Michele
Terry is a mother, daughter, wife, sister and friend. She journeyed through 15 years of
various eating disorders and has been “free” for 11 years. Hers years of struggle and a few
people she met along the way have inspired her to reach out, step
out and connect with others facings similar struggles. She has learned that
isolation promotes desperation and connection promotes healing. Without judgment, she listens to
others’ stories and shares her own.
After
years of volunteering her time, she had the
opportunity to develop a part time program and Clinton County Health and
Wellness was born. The
program’s primary focus in on eating disorders and body image
issues. It promotes education
and Awareness and nurturing the "whole self”. Michele offers a safe place for
people to seek resources, support, and an open heart and listening
ear. “I continue to be in
awe and grateful for the amazing, soulful, people I've met along this
walk."
In addition to CCH&W, Michele has
developed a fund to help women and families move forward by providing
financial assistance for simple needs that can impede progress and growth
called "The Beyond Today Fund". Her five children are her source of
boundless inspiration and her greatest teachers.
Michele’s 17 year old son
Christopher will be presenting with her.
|
