As National Eating Disorder Awareness week (February 26th – March 3rd) just passed, I wanted to take some time to spotlight the upcoming Boston NEDA walk and its organizer, Northeastern student Emily Hersh.
Firstly, the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) “is a leading eating disorder organization, and works to advance research, community building, and awareness to support the nearly 30 million people who will experience an eating disorder in their lifetimes.” NEDA’s programs and initiatives include NEDA Walks, the Feeding Hope Fund for Clinical Research GFED Early Investigator Award, Online Eating Disorder Screenings, NEDA Toolkits, the Grace Holland Cozine Resource Center, Campus Warriors and The Body Project. To learn more about these resources, visit their website.
Hersh has been a volunteer for NEDA for around two years. She began personally fundraising for the organization which led to her becoming a campus warrior (a campus ambassador for NEDA). After around a year of being a campus warrior, NEDA reached out to Hersh, inviting her to their gala in New York. The gala was particularly special for Hersh because of the people she was surrounded by.
“It was one of those feelings that you get when you feel supported in the room that you’re in…you feel like everyone there has the same goals as you, is passionate about the same things as you [and] understands you on a deeper level because of shared experience,” Hersh said.
Following the gala, NEDA reached out and asked her if she was interested in being the Boston walk coordinator.
“It was really exciting and… felt like a proud moment because of all these years that I’ve spent volunteering and how much this cause means to me,” said Hersh. “This was allowing me to be even more involved and make an even bigger impact.”
Behind Hersh’s extraordinary dedication lies a deeply personal connection to the cause. She was diagnosed with an eating disorder in 2015 and received treatment. It took her approximately six years to fully recover, and during that time, NEDA became a valuable resource for her. It provided support, helping her know that there was a community of people who understood what she was going through which made her feel a lot less alone.
“When I got involved with NEDA as a healthier, happier, stronger me, it felt so great to be able to instill hope in others with this shared struggle,” Hersh said.
As a volunteer for NEDA and eating disorder survivor, Hersh has witnessed the transformative power of community support and wants to facilitate this understanding environment in the Boston walk. Her empathy and compassion for this event stem from a place of understanding.
“I want [the Boston community] to know that NEDA is a really safe space to go for resources, support, and that sense of community so they know they are not alone.”
The goal of the walk is to bring people together, provide resources, support and awareness to the cause, and fundraise for NEDA. The Boston Walk has a fundraising goal of $72,000 this year which Hersh and her fundraising committee hope to reach leading up to the event.
The walk itself will be on April 20th, which is earlier than it has been in past years. Normally, the walks take place in the summer when college students go home for break, but Hersh wanted to make sure that college students in the Boston area who resonate with the cause would be able to participate as well.
Join Hersh for an empowering and uplifting day! The walk will take place at the Parkman Bandstand (139 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111) located in Boston Common. The day will be packed with exciting activities and involvement from the event’s sponsors. The walk is 1 mile long as to be inclusive of all populations, and registration is completely free! Your presence makes a difference.
If you fundraise or donate $25 or more, you will also receive a free t-shirt! You can set up a fundraising page to share with your friends and family to help the Boston Walk reach its goal. Register, donate or create your own page here. It’s a great way to show off your support and commemorate this memorable day.
Other ways to get involved?
- Attend NEDAs upcoming Lucky Charms Fundraiser for a fun night of charm necklace making and dinner at Sunset Cantina (ticket link here)
- Create a fundraising team or personal fundraising page (linked above)
- Stay tuned for more fundraiser updates on @paving.my.way on Instagram