Eating disorder support cuts challenged

Danielle's Place founder adds name to on-line petition for Smitherman

Tim Whitnell Oct 26, 2005

A Burlington woman with a personal investment in the cause is supporting a petition demanding more funding for the treatment of people with eating disorders, in the hope of avoiding tragic deaths like that of her daughter.

Carolyn Mayeur, the founder of Danielle's Place, an eating disorders information and support centre, has put her name behind the joint petition aimed at convincing Ontario's health minister to increase, not reduce, government funding of such support groups.

"Too many are dying. We need the help of all stakeholders in the well-being of our children -- is that not all of us? -- to make the families' voices better heard. I don't want more daughters, like mine, to die needlessly."

Mayeur's daughter, Danielle, died in her arms in Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital on Sept. 20, 2001. The 25 year old died of complications from anorexia nervosa, a disease she had battled since her late teens. She weighed barely 25 kilograms (55 lbs.) at death.

The president of Danielle's Place, located at 895 Brant St., is encouraging anyone interested in the issue, especially those affected, to sign an on-line petition that will be presented to Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care George Smitherman.

To date, 1,633 people have put their names on the petition (www.hopewell.on.ca/petition2.html), which has been sent to the minister.

A three-page letter containing the petition was addressed recently to Smitherman and was sent by nine individuals, including Mayeur. They represent eating disorder associations across the province, including Sheena's Place in Toronto, the Hopewell Eating Disorders Support Centre of Ottawa and the Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association in Windsor.

The letter was prompted by an Oct. 11 meeting between Smitherman and professionals from the eating disorders community that discussed what the latter consider the critical under-funding of treatment services for those affected by anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

One paragraph in the joint submission to Smitherman reads, "Addressing service gaps in health care related to the treatment and support of individuals who suffer from eating disorders must become a high priority for this government. Our organizations stand ready to work with you and your officials to make this change happen. We would like to meet with you immediately to discuss the next steps."

The letter also says that, "... hundreds of thousands of people across Ontario are suffering from the consequences of inadequate health care services related to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

"Shocking but true, it's a fact that 10 per cent of sufferers will die because their eating disorder is misunderstood, not taken seriously, remains undetected or untreated, or because the system fails to ensure that treatment is made available in a timely, comprehensive and accessible manner."

The short-term goals of Mayeur and her colleagues are to get the McGuinty Liberals to restore its funding of eating disorders prevention, treatment and support to, what the letter states, is the "present-day equivalent of the 2001 levels of $7.2 million, and eliminate current program deficits."

A spokesperson in Smitherman's office said he could not confirm the current funding levels but that a response will be given to the group some time after the minister receives the letter.

"The government has a lot of concerns in the (overall community health) sector," said David Spencer, press secretary to Smitherman. "It's acknowledged that they have concerns," he said of eating disorder advocates. "We're seeing what may be possible."

Danielle's Place has been open to the public since late January 2005. In early October it moved from cramped quarters on Elizabeth Street into a larger office at Brant and Fairview streets. Free rent and utilities worth $56,000 annually are being provided by local developer Michael Shih.

All programs at Danielle's Place are free and done on a drop-in basis but one-on-one drop-in visits can be arranged.

Support groups are facilitated by paid therapists whose cost makes up about 42 per cent of the centre's $83,000 annual budget. Nearly three-dozen volunteers are also enlisted for various duties.

Programs covered at Danielle's Place include teen support, adult support, family and loved one support, nutrition, yoga for clients and yoga for supportive others. Body image, binge-beating and mindful meditation groups are planned for early 2006.

Mayeur says in-patient programs catering to eating disorder patients are scarce in Ontario. Toronto General Hospital has one ; outside of Toronto there are mainly just out-patient services like the one at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

Danielle's Place can be reached by calling 905-333-5548. There will be an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

 

Article and photo generously supplied by The Burlington Post.

Burlington Post, October 26, 2005