Project HEAL Announces Eating Disorder Awareness Week Involvement

NEW YORK - Feb. 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Project HEAL: Help to Eat, Accept, and Live, will be celebrating Eating Disorder Awareness Week from February 22-28, 2015. Project HEAL is initiating “notfearED”, a social media campaign that challenges people to step out of their ED comfort zones and honor their true spirits and passion by doing something that they once were "afraid" to do. Project HEAL is a not-for-profit organization that raises awareness of eating disorders and fundraises in order to provide treatment scholarships for individuals who cannot afford life-saving professional treatment.  Project HEAL has chapters located across the country and internationally. Chapters will be holding events in their local communities throughout Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

Eating Disorders kill more people each year than any other mental disease, and yet most people have no idea of their danger. The focus of Project HEAL is to save those lives through funds towards treatment, education and support.

The founders of Project HEAL, Liana Rosenman and Kristina Saffran, met while undergoing treatment for anorexia nervosa at just 15-years-old.  The two girls helped each other to reach full recovery, and decided to help others achieve it as well. They did just that, beginning the largest non-profit of its kind. Not only do they share their inspiring stories, but they also hold a wealth of scientific and experience-based knowledge on the issues of eating disorders.

“Over 30 million Americans are estimated to struggle with an eating disorder, yet 90% of them never receive treatment, as it can cost upwards of $30,000 a month and is often not covered by insurance companies," says cofounder Kristina Saffran. “Liana and I were lucky in that our insurance did cover our life saving treatment, but we saw countless others who were not nearly as lucky.  We thought it was an injustice that they weren’t able to get the care they needed to enable them to recover, so we decided to do something about it.”

“When we were in treatment we really doubted recovery, and the few times that we heard stories of those who had recovered, it sparked a bit of hope. Another reason we launched Project Heal is because we wanted to serve as role models and mentors to boys and girls who might think, 'I can never get better', because we were once those girls with that very same sentiment. A big part of Project HEAL is simply serving as a testament that full recovery from an eating disorder is possible,” says Liana Rosenman.

Since  its  founding in 2008, Project HEAL has sent 21 applicants to treatment. There are currently over 40 chapters of Project HEAL across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia that work to promote the mission and values of Project HEAL.  Additionally, Project HEAL has developed partnerships with six recognized eating disorder treatment centers—including Columbia Center for Eating Disorders—across the country who offer treatment grants to our applicants.

SEE PROJECT HEAL FEATURED IN PEOPLE MAGAZINE: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20607391,00.html

SEE PROJECT HEAL IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304444604577338143760092400

**Photos and logos available upon request*

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:

Kristina Saffran graduated from Harvard College with a bachelors degree in psychology in May of 2014, and is currently serving as the interim executive director of Project HEAL.

Liana Rosenman graduated from Hofstra University and is currently teaching elementary school students in NYC. She is a recent recipient of the 2014 Bustle Award.

Benjamin O’Keefe gained international acclaim after beginning a global movement against the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch and their size-based discrimination. He has been seen on television including Good Morning America and BBC World News and has contributed to some of the largest publications in the world, including The Guardian and The Huffington Post.

Evelyn Attia, MD is Director of the Center for Eating Disorders at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.  Dr. Attia is a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

For more information, or for interviews with Kristina Saffran, Liana Rosenman, Benjamin O’Keefe, or Evelyn Attia, MD, please contact Amy Maitner at 407-902-4913 or by email at pr@theprojectheal.org

Project HEAL: Help to Eat, Accept and Live (www.theprojectheal.org) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that raises money for people with eating disorders who are not able to afford treatment, promotes healthy body image and self esteem, and encourages all people to believe that full recovery from an eating disorder is possible.