This year, I am doing my first sprint triathlon to raise money for Been There, a really inspiring charity who provide 1:1 peer support for people with body image issues and eating disorders.

Been There's goal is to save and improve the lives of people with body image issues by connecting them with a lived experience Mentor, someone who has 'been there', and who can walk alongside them on their healing journey.

In the UK, we are experiencing a body image pandemic: there has been an 84% rise in eating disorder hospitalisations in the past 5 years, the cost to the UK is estimated to be as high as £9.4 billion a year, and 1 in 8 people experience suicidal thought as a result of poor body image.

The care available for body image issues and eating disorders is not good enough. Often patients are rejected from treatment until they become 'sick enough' (usually measured by BMI), after which they are labelled as non-compliant or resistant if they do not immediately begin to recover. On top of this, recent moves to provide palliative care for people with eating disorders diminishes hope for recovery, an ESSENTIAL component for someone with an eating disorder, who may already believe wholeheartedly that they are not good enough.

Compassionate support from someone with a deep personal understanding of body image issues is such a valuable part of healing. It allows individuals who often do not get a voice in their recovery to be heard, it validates their experiences and emotions and most importantly, it empowers individuals to heal by reminding them that RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE. Perhaps one day, you might even be in a position to support somebody else.

I would really appreciate any support towards this cause. Peer support could really change the game for people experiencing body image issues and eating disorders, it is only becoming more essential. We need organisations like Been There to flourish so that they can provide this support. Thank you very much for all your help.