In early March this year our friend, Conrad, ended his own life after a long battle with Body Dysmorphia. His loss is utterly devastating to so many of us, and in setting up this page we want to help more people with this extraordinarily debilitating problem get the help they need. 

Conrad's death has left a devastating gap in our lives. He was the most kind, compassionate man - always giving his time and love to friends and family, no matter how difficult things were for him. He was the one who sought out those at a party who had no one to talk to, making them feel welcome. He wasn't just kind, he was also honest to a fault - never stepping away from telling you if he thought you were being an idiot. And he was cheeky too - finding himself in all kinds of mischief wherever he was. We all miss him so much.

At Conrad's funeral we found out that he had been raising money for the BDD Foundation in his spare time - and had in fact secured them their biggest ever grant. It was a cause that he cared so deeply about.

With your help we can give a small, effective and vitally important charity the resources they need to help many more people. 

About BDD
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an anxiety disorder related to body image, it is characterised by a preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in appearance, which is unnoticeable to others. It's an incredibly serious problem that usually starts in adolescence and, as was the case with Conrad, can go for many years without treatment.

About the BDD Foundation

The BDD Foundation is a small charity that was incredibly close to Conrad's heart. In the last few years they helped him so much, and he in turn helped them by helping them raise money to carry out the work they do. We want to honour his legacy by helping them with the incredible work they do. 

The BDD Foundation:

- Raise awareness about BDD.
- Advance the education of the public and healthcare professionals, supporting them to understand the nature of BDD and how it might best be treated.
- Relieve suffering from BDD through support and high-quality information.
- Reduce stigma, discrimination and isolation caused by BDD.
- Help develop a sense of community for people affected by BDD. This includes individuals with BDD, their families, friends, partners and carers.
- Provide information on relevant treatment options.
- Support research into the understanding and treatment of BDD.

More about BDD:

If you'd like to learn a bit more about BDD, you can check out this Guardian article, or this documentary on iPlayer. There is also a podcast series here, and of course more information on the BDD Foundation website - https://bddfoundation.org/.