An Irish woman who battled anorexia for a decade is hoping to skydive to raise money for charity to support those with eating disorders.
Lauren Perry’s unhealthy relationship with food first started when she was a teenager.
The 29-year-old’s eating disorder took a turn for the worst during an 11-week backpacking trip in South East Asia with her boyfriend.
She said: “I was so conscious that I would gain so much weight on holidays that I just didn’t want to eat.
Doctor in the House medics give bulimic Dublin teen worrying wake-up call
"It got quite stressful, we would have walked for ages and I would have tried not to eat as much as possible. I felt trapped, I just cried, I couldn’t face putting a spoonful of rice in my mouth.”
The 29-year-old said that what was supposed to be an amazing holiday turned into a stressful experience.
Her boyfriend proposed when they were in Bali but said that she needed to get help immediately after they arrived back in Ireland.
The Belfast woman told the Irish Sun: “He said, ‘you have to get help as soon as we get back’.
“My weight was extremely low so when we got back I got help privately and it was a life-changer for me.”
Lauren’s clinical psychiatrist and dietician said her weight was so low that she was at risk of sudden death.
But with professional counselling and behaviour therapy, Lauren is making huge strides in recovery.
She said: “My fiancé, when I had my first sandwich, he bought me flowers and a card. It meant so much to him ... he was so supportive throughout the whole thing.”
Lauren is not planning on doing a skydive on Saturday to raise money for Beat, an eating disorder charity.
You can donate to Lauren’s cause here.
