Project will bring awareness to eating disorders

By Taylor Green/reporter

NW health services in conjunction with The Elisa Project will present Eating Disorders Feb. 2.

The Elisa Project is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and effective treatment of eating disorders. The group strives to ensure all of those affected by the disease will get the support they need, according to its website, theelisaproject.org.

Sharon Seagraves, executive director of The Elisa Project, will address pressures that lead to eating disorders and explain how others can offer support.

“I’m going to be talking about the whole problem and a little bit about statistics,” she said. “Our mission is dedicated to the prevention of eating disorders through awareness, community support and advocacy. Eating disorders don’t discriminate.”

Seagraves has worked for other health organizations as well, such as the National Kidney Foundation in Washington, D.C. Since she has a family member who struggles with an eating disorder, when the opportunity arose for her to work with The Elisa Project, Seagraves said she looked forward to bringing in her background to help the organization.

South health services coordinator Tina Ingram selected the program because she wanted to address the significance of eating disorders.

“It’s a very important program because a lot of people are dealing with eating disorders,” she said. “Some people don’t even realize they have one, and some people have friends or family that are dealing with it and don’t know how to approach it. They can learn what is involved in treatment, before and after, and what to do to help.”

The presentation will be 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the SSTU Fort Worth Room on South Campus.