2nd Annual 1-mile Walk-a-Thon

by Suzanne Rogers

The St. Louis area's 2nd annual National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) Walk is less than six weeks away! The 1-mile walk-a-thon will be held on Saturday, March 27, at 10:00am. The location will once again be Tower Grove Park's Sons of Rest Pavilion located at 4256 Magnolia Avenue. Registration is $30 and includes the event t-shirt. Participants will be able to register on-site or through online registration by visiting McCallum Place's web site (www.mccallumplace.com). If interested in volunteering or for more information, please e-mail info@mccallumplace.com or call (314) 968-1900.

Are you wondering what the NEDA Walk is? The NEDA Walk is a collective effort of volunteers who are committed to raising awareness of the dangers surrouding eating disorders and the need for early intervention and treatment. The first NEDA Walk kicked off during NEDA Awareness Week 2009 in Seattle. McCallum Place's own Kate Evett, RD, LD is the St. Louis area’s NEDA Walk Coordinator. All proceeds raised will go directly to NEDA.

NEDA, formed in 2001, is a non-proft organization that is dedicated to supporting those who suffer from an eating disorder as well as families and friends who may be affected. NEDA compaigns for prevention, improved access to quality treatment, and increased reasearch funding to better understand eating disorders. NEDA effortlessly works with partners and volunteers to develop programs and tools to help everyone who seeks assistance. Dr. Kimberli McCallum, founder and medical director of McCallum Place, is on the NEDA Board of Directors. For more information about NEDA, visit their web site at http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

NEDA Awareness Week is February 21-27, 2010 and this year's theme is "It's Time to Talk About It." The aim of NEDA Awareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder. Raising awareness and helping to provide accurate information about eating disorders is something YOU can do to help. There are many ways to do this, such as distributing flyers around your college campus or in you employer break room, contributing a guest column to your local newspaper, or by scheduling a presentation at your area library. No matter the way(s) in which you are able to contribute, you are making a difference. Visit NEDA's web site for more ideas or to register in a NEDA Walk in your community.