Tomorrow is my birthday, and this year looks very different from usual. I’ve spent the past five months in hospital receiving treatment for anorexia nervosa, and I’m now preparing for the next stage of recovery.

As some people who have known me a long time will be aware, this is something I have lived with for many years. For those newer in my life who may have been wondering where I’ve been, this is why. This will be the second birthday I’ve spent in hospital because of this illness, and the hardest yet. After a couple of years of doing relatively well, this relapse happened very quickly and I became physically unwell in a short space of time.

To leave hospital safely, I need a specialist assessment to put the right community support in place. Because of gaps in funding and my sick pay ending, I’ve had to self-fund this at a cost of £2000.

For my birthday this year, I’m not wishing for presents — but if anyone has even a small amount they feel able to contribute towards this assessment, it would go a long way in helping me focus on recovery and staying well outside hospital. Sharing this would also mean so much.

Thank you for reading, and for being in my life — your support means more than I can say