www.facebook.com/LeahDancer  (this link will take you to a beautiful page on FB of Julia skating)

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts. 

Many of us knew Julia in some way.  Whether we were her friends, family, or simply an aquaintance. Maybe you lived with her at Renfrew a while like myself, maybe you skated with her, maybe you're family, or maybe you knew her from school.  Whatever way you knew her I am sure she had a great impact on your life. 

A bright source of campasion, love, kindness,  talent and Energy Julia will forever be in my heart.  I met Julia at the end of Summer/fall 2008-we quickly became close. We mirrored eachother in how my love for danced mached her love of skating. In July of this year Julia lost her life to this awful disease.  She committed suicide.  For her I continue to fight my battle against my eating disorder.  I know Julia would want that.  I believe she does for all of us and I believe that she is watching over all of us.

 For those who didn't know Julia, you do know me.  And in being honest this is somthing I fight every day.  An eating disorder can allow you put on a happy face often, come across confident often...when inside you feel so insecure, sad, afraid, disgusting, un-lovable, and simply awful.  

 QUICK FACTS ABOUT EATING DISORDERS:

1-It has the highest mortality rate out of ALL mental illnesses

2-90% of females experience dissatisfaction with body image

3- As many as HALF the deaths to Anorexia will be from suicide

4- 5-10 million girls and women along with 1 million boys and men suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S.

5- The majority of Eating Disorder onset is ages 13-25. BUT may begin as young as 8!

6- People DO NOT have to "look like" they have an eating disorder to actually have one!

 7. It's not a "temper tantrum", or something a person just "decides to do".  It's not about "trying to pretty".

8. It's really not ALL about the food

 It's a DISEASE....it's an ADDICTION.  That may sound wierd putting the word "addiction" to it. But it is- WHY is it an addiction? BECAUSE  you CAN'T just SAY: "eat" or "stop eating" or  "stop purging" or "stop diet pills/laxitives/diuretics/over exercising"

PLEASE HELP IN THE FIGHT FOR AWARENESS OF EATING DISORDERS