I have cared for my daughter for over 10 years now. It has taken a huge toll on my mental and physical health. When I started out on this journey, my daughter was 13. I heard the words ‘self-care’ spoken everywhere. But there was no one there to show me how to take care of myself. The fear of leaving my daughter was so intensely difficult, and gut wrenching but as I look back on that time now, I realise that if I had given myself half an hour here or there, my physical and mental health would be in a much better state now.

I didn’t realise that this disorder would take over my child, my other children, their grandparents, my parents. There should be help for us as well as my child, when her stability depends on mine.   Hope not present.  A wise lady once told me to walk beside my daughter, not in front, or behind, and to remember when they stumble you never go back to the beginning.  I would like to see change in the area of training for medical professionals as much is missing, like empathy, support and understanding.  It would be great to have a psychotherapist on the multi-disciplinary team for all cases of eating disorders.