Building support for eating disorders

When Maureen Reynolds was struggling to save her daughter, Amy Davenport, from the eating disorder ravaging her body and mind, she found few resources in Spokane.

“When we moved here, I called to find some sort of support group,” Reynolds said. “There was nothing here in Spokane except some therapists; that’s it.”

Davenport died March 8, 2005, at age 25, after suffering with anorexia and bulimia for 11 years. Her death left Reynolds determined to provide a better support network to other families struggling with the illnesses.

The region has since made significant strides in providing more resources. Years ago, there was neither an inpatient nor an outpatient treatment program. No organized therapy group or provider referral network existed. There wasn’t even a support group.

Today, Sacred Heart Medical Center’s adolescent care unit offers an inpatient treatment program.

There are more outpatient treatment options, too, as well as two support groups, one for individuals and one for families.

A task force has been revitalized and is two dozen strong, creating opportunities for dietitians, therapists, social workers, nurses and health educators to compare notes and brainstorm treatment solutions.

Nationwide, as many as 10 million girls and women, and 1 million boys and men, are living with eating disorders including anorexia or bulimia, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. Millions more suffer from binge eating disorder.

“Eating disorders are so complex, they scare families,” Reynolds said. “It’s a recovery process. Once you have an eating disorder, like alcoholism, you always have it.”

A resource guide on the Community Health Education & Resources Web site includes names, phone numbers and credentials of therapists, dietitians, physicians, therapy groups and support groups.

“I think we’ve all wished for more,” said Michelle Weinbender, a registered dietitian who has worked with eating disorder patients in Spokane for three years and belongs to the task force. “I think we were all ready and it just really took off.”

Weinbender said she’s seen more eating disorder patients in the past three years. She’s not sure if that’s due to an increase in the number of people with the illness or to heightened awareness.

“We should be accepting people for every size that they are, large or small,” she said.

A seminar Saturday called “Be Comfortable in your Genes” will launch more than a week’s worth of events marking National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, stretching officially from Sunday to March 1.

Locally, a “Jeans Drive” will be held at three malls. Jeans can be dropped off at the Chatters salon at River Park Square and at the customer service desks at the NorthTown and Spokane Valley malls.

People are encouraged to get rid of old jeans that don’t fit and that might be making them feel bad about their bodies, said Leyna Odell, a health educator with Community Health Education & Resources. The jeans will be donated to charity. Gonzaga, Whitworth and Eastern Washington universities also are holding events, including jeans drives, speeches and presentations.

On March 1 at NorthTown, passers-by will be encouraged to write on a large piece of butcher paper what they like about their bodies.

The donated jeans will be delivered to Volunteers of America and to Union Gospel Ministries.

“That pair of jeans you’re hanging on to in the closet, hoping one day to squeeze into?” Odell said. “Here’s a great cause to donate them to.”