Insurance for eating disorder treatment is minimal and most people are in and out of facilities and therapy many times. This leads to the high rate of relapse so common in anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified).
Thursday October 11th, 2007 will be an evening to celebrate recovery while raising money for a bursary. From 7-10pm at the famous Red Robinson Show Theatre at the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam, BC, speakers, musicians and dancers will be on stage to share their stories or perform.
A $2800 bursary for private counseling will be funded for an individual who cannot afford treatment. Bursary applications are available to the general public and will be awarded yearly as funds are available.
Shelley’s Angels Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is “to provide fundraising, research, support and education for those in need of private counselling for eating disorders.” The board of directors of this group will choose the bursary winners. As the society grows, they hope to put on 1 major event each year to celebrate the hope in recovering from an eating disorder.
Anita Johnston, Ph.D, author of Eating in the Light of the Moon and co-founder of the Anorexia & Bulimia Center of Hawaii, will be coming from her homeland to be the keynote speaker for the event. The following Saturday October 13th, Anita will present her renowned Soul Hunger workshop from 9-5 at the Innovation Centre, also in Coquitlam.
The gifted Cori Caulfield will be performing a solo dance piece at the event, as will Devirani, owner of DanceWorks!. Also dancing will be a group from the Caulfield School of Dance in Port Moody.
Singing their hearts out about recovery and their own experiences with an eating disorder, Evelyn (Ev) Yngveson, Carolyn Stewart, Robin Richardson and Edith Wallace will perform. Robyn will also be telling her story throughout her pieces.
Recovered ladies Teresa Harwood-Lynn, Dr. Ellen Domm, Susan Kern, Karen Cook, Kim Ratcliffe, and author of this article, Lori Henry, will be baring their souls to the audience. May Henry and Bruce Catteral will be talking about how their loved one going through an eating disorder affected them and their relationships.
Shelley Jensen of “S” Team Counselling Services will host the event. She has been helping women and men, young and old, make the connection between food and their behavior for 17 years. Her dedication to the cause is remarkable. The Soroptomists International and many other locals have recognized her for her constant efforts.
For more information about Until Your Heart’s Content, to apply for a bursary and to buy tickets or to donate money to this very worthwhile cause, please visit the event website.
To register for Anita Johnston’s Soul Hunger workshop, please visit her website.
The society would like to publicly thank the Red Robinson Show Theatre at the Boulevard Casino for the generous donation of the space, as well as their other benevolent sponsors. A complete list to the growing companies can be found at the above event website.