From my own lived carer experience, I recognise the urgent need for whole families – not just the person who is ill – to receive the best eating disorder treatment and support. As a passionate and determined advocate for increasing ED awareness and improving ED resources and treatment throughout the UK, I am a mother of six children, two with eating disorders. My eldest daughter was diagnosed in 2013 with Anorexia Nervosa and my son was at 6, with restrictive eating and likely ARFID. I am based in the NE of England, with my family. Through my research on the best evidence-based treatment, I discovered the importance of peer support and the demonstrable evidence indicating the increase in successful patient outcomes. In 2015, I started a Facebook support group for parents and carers – Eating Disorders Parent/Carer Support (UK). In the past 15 months the group has grown to over 2.3K members. It is very clear from members’ experiences how current eating disorder treatment has drastically declined. Recently, I started a government petition to increase funding for eating disorder treatment in the community and inpatient. This has since received a government response and remains active.

I'm Carol, I spent many years as an advocate for homeless people. This involved advocating to secure them a home and a robust support package to enable them to maintain a tenancy. When Becki (who has been a friend for years) was in the middle of her fight against services and needed a parent advocate, I turned my skills to Eating Disorders and I've never looked back. As the years have passed, I've advocated for many parents and children, I've learned so much about eating disorders and all the surrounding issues for the sufferer and their family. This journey has made me passionate about bringing about change because our system in the UK is desperately lacking and leads to either a yo-yo recovery or death when both could have been avoided in most cases.

I'm a mother with almost 15 years' experience of eating disorders (ED). Fighting to save my child’s life and fighting the system to get her the best treatment, I’ve spent years researching and advocating for best evidence-based treatment. We had mixed experiences of mental health and ED services over the years. To cut a long and almost fatal story short, my daughter is now in a good recovery and doing well. By profession, I’m a freelance copywriter. Working from home for many years, I’d love to reduce my hours to focus more on ED advocacy. I live with my partner close to the Oxfordshire/Berkshire border, both of us having two adult children who flew the nest long ago. I love the countryside but miss living by the sea! My escapes are cycling, walks while listening to an audiobook, reading fiction and playing the piano (badly!). I have an eclectic taste in music, from jazz, blues and funk to classical, downtempo acid jazz to chill-out. My true escape is exploring new places both home and abroad. Not forgetting the essentials in life – chocolate and wine!

I am a qualified mental health practitioner in the UK and have 25 years experience of working with children, young people and families with eating disorders in both community and inpatient settings. I have provided treatment within my own private clinic and within the UK National Health Service (NHS). My experience includes direct patient treatment, service redesign and operational service management. I have worked with other eating disorder professionals in setting national standards for inpatient eating disorder services and continues to contribute to training other professionals on a regional and national level. I currently works for the NHS within a community child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) based in the UK.

I’m Sarah, Mum of 3, now adult kids and Granny of 2. I spent 6 years fighting ED and other mental health co-morbids with my daughter between the ages of 12 and 18. She was refused a diagnosis of ED time and time again because “her weight wasn’t low enough” even though she was dangerously ill but we fought until we eventually got one at the age of 16. She has now been in recovery for 3 years and a Mummy to my gorgeous granddaughter. I live in a total mad house with my long suffering husband and 2 youngest kids, my granddaughter, 2 dogs and 2 cats. I work for the nhs and in my spare time keep myself sane with Gin. I don’t want anyone to ever have to struggle and fight for treatment for their loved ones with ED and therefore try and support and advise as much as I possibly can.

I’m Sam, aging mother, employed within the NHS as a mental health and well-being support worker. My daughter suffered with anorexia nervosa from age 13, also having a previous history of anxiety, depression and lots of self harm from age 10. She required specialist eating disorder inpatient treatment for 7 months, detained under the Mental Health Act. Now fully recovered, she lives independently in London. I am located in the North West of England, with my wonderful, supportive partner, 2 dogs and a cat. Love food, walks (although not as much now I need a hip replacement) and most of all my family and friends and alcohol in the form of wine and gin! I also have a very dark, sick sense of humour and am rarely offended unless it’s by the useless treatment of eating disorder sufferers and their carers.