Me (Yan) and my husband (Ross) are going to challenge ourselves to do sponsored wild swims (or paddles!) on the mornings during Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2023. Myself having trained in costume design and both being rather nerdy, we wanted to pick something that simultaneously celebrated nature and life but empowered us in a lighthearted way. So we will be doing the swims in themed costumes, hand making or sourcing vintage pieces where possible, from Scooby-Doo to retro Sci-Fi- to try and focus my energy more healthily with my creativity (and a dose of whimsy!).

I am fundraising for Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity. Beat supports anyone with an eating disorder, their friends and family, as well as professionals working with or worried about an individual in their care.

I have personally had an eating disorder since before I hit double digits, currently making it a twenty year battle. For the majority of those twenty years, this eating disorder did not affect my external anatomy and I think this suffering was mostly unknown to my doctor, family and friends. I have only really experienced support and awareness when I fell more neatly into a typical diagnostic criteria (or a more publically acknowledged idea of eating disorder) such as Anorexia Nervosa. This spoke nothing to the toll on my internal anatomy, causing long term physical illness and naturally the mental turmoil and lifelong affects of a serious mental illness. Suffering into adulthood alongside a personality disorder, the eating disorder I have been leaning on naively to stabilise my condition could be better regarded as an abusive relationship and is therefore dangerous regardless of outward appearances. I hope with my contribution to aid in debunking stereotypes and providing support and awareness for EVERYONE who suffers and those who support them.

1.25 million people in the UK have a diagnosed eating disorder. They affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and up to one in four sufferers are male. Eating disorders cost the UK's economy £16.8 billion each year.