On Sunday, Oct. 15, Amherst will be hosting its first-ever National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) walk. The walk will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Goodell Lawn at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Online registration for the walk closes at 3 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 13, but participants can still register at the event.
What is NEDA?
The National Eating Disorders Association, also known as NEDA, is the leading non-profit in the field of eating disorders. NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders and serves as a catalyst for early intervention, cures and access to quality care.
Why walk?
According to NEDA’s website, 20 million women and 10 million men in the United States will suffer from a “clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life,” including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or an eating disorder not otherwise specified (OSFED).
NEDA writes, “The scope and severity of eating disorders are often misunderstood. Eating disorders are serious illnesses, not lifestyle choices. In fact, anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. In a national survey, four out of ten people reported that they either suffered or have known someone who has suffered from an eating disorder. There is a significant lack of funding to combat eating disorders and their devastating consequences. As a result, too many individuals and families are left feeling helpless, hopeless and frightened.”
There are several reasons to walk and show support in the fight against eating disorders. Personally, I am walking because participating in a NEDA walk has been a goal of mine since I was diagnosed with anorexia at a very young age. Since spending most of my teenage years in eating disorder treatments, I never thought I would be able to go to college, have friends or even simply go to a restaurant. Yet here I am, living on my own, pursuing my marketing degree at UMass Amherst, and loving every second of it.
If you aren’t able to start a team or participate in the walk individually, you can still show support by donating to participating teams or by simply sharing the link on social media to help raise donations and awareness. For those interested in donating, you can check out my page.
Images courtesy of the National Eating Disorder Association. Find them on their website, Instagram and Flickr.