- R
Hi everyone, my name is Katie, I'm 22 years old and this is my story.
This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write, but I've decided to put my pride aside and share my story to try and get help.
My struggle with an eating disorder began in elementary school with an early and overwhelming obsession with my body and a constant fear of what food could do to it. By the time I was 10, I was already compulsively exercising and restricting what I ate. At that young age, my mind was consumed with rules, fear, and control.
In school I was made fun of for my body. Those experiences hurt deeply in the moment and shaped how I saw myself while intensifying everything I was already struggling with. It reached a peak in high school. I knew something was very wrong, and I fought hard to get help. I spent years seeing a dietician and therapist, but they were not specialized in eating disorders. Looking back, some of that care, though well intentioned, caused more harm than healing. I felt stuck, misunderstood, and like I was trying to recover without the right tools or support.
After graduating, I discovered Westwind Eating Disorder Recovery Centre. Since then, I have applied for every possible funding opportunity to attend residential treatment, but I have had no success. I have done everything I can to access help within my means.
I’ve explored group therapy through EDSNA, peer support through the Silver Linings Foundation, psychiatry through the eating disorder outpatient program at the U of A Hospital, and ongoing sessions with specialized eating disorder therapists and dieticians. Despite all of this, my condition has continued to worsen. About a month ago I went 6 days without eating which landed me in the ER with a heart condition directly triggered by my eating disorder behaviors. since then my intake has been severely restricted and I have been purging consistently
At this point, my eating disorder has taken over my life. It isolates me from the people and experiences I care about. It amplifies my anxiety, and it contributes to a very low mood and lack of motivation. Every day feels like a battle to be completely honest.
My current counsellor is recommending a 3-month residential stay at Westwind. This level of care is not optional anymore – it is necessary.
Westwind Eating Disorder Recovery Centre is a highly respected program that has helped many recover from eating disorders through a structured, compassionate, and evidence based approach. Their program includes daily one-on-one therapy and dietician support, multiple group therapy sessions each day, meal support, and a safe, supportive environment for healing. They focus not just on behaviors, but on the deeper emotional and psychological roots of eating disorders.
The cost of treatment is approximately $4,000 per week, which includes therapy, dietetic care, group programming, groceries, and room and board. Unfortunately, there is currently no government funding available in Alberta for this type of treatment, and I have exhausted every option available to me within my province.
Receiving this treatment would be life saving. It would give me the chance to rebuild my relationship with food and my body, to nourish myself consistently, and to finally experience life without constant fear, guilt, and exhaustion. It would give me the opportunity to feel present, to reconnect with others, and to regain a sense of freedom and peace that I have been missing since I was a kid.
If you are able to donate, share, or support me in any way, it would mean more than I can ever fully express. This is me choosing recovery, even though it’s scary. This is me choosing life.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for supporting me in any way you can.
-Katie
here is a link to Westwind's website if you would like some more information: