At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with anorexia (something that to this day I never really talk about), it seems strange that someone with a degree in Nutrition and a career as a Home Economics teacher could possibly have this illness but I did and it has been the hardest and most painful battle I have faced in my life. 

There are over 1.25 million people living with an eating disorder in the UK alone. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness and is a devastating, complex and often commonly misunderstood illness. With this in mind I count myself one of the lucky ones as I managed to come out the other side and as much as I still have to work hard every day to make sure I don’t slip back into bad habits, I now live a healthy and happy life.

Beat is the leading eating disorders charity in the U.K. They offer support 365 days of the year and are often the first point of contact for someone struggling with an eating disorder or a family member supporting a loved one with an eating disorder. Despite the amazing work that they do, funding for mental health is not equal to that for physical conditions, so Beat is reliant on supporters. 

I am running the London Marathon 2020 so that I can raise awareness of eating disorders and show that it is possible with the right support to recover and lead a healthy life but also to raise money to ensure Beat can continue to offer the amazing support that they do and help more and more people recover like I have.