Natasha Kirk had been quietly battling an eating disorder for years before she was diagnosed in 2013.
One of the biggest hurdles the Wahgunyah mother-of six faced while battling anorexia was having nowhere locally to get help.
"The biggest thing I take away from that was the lack of service," she said.
"I was very lucky to be linked in with two local clinicians but unfortunately that’s where it stopped.
"There was no comprehensive treatment outside of that available here and it meant for that time when I became so unwell and I needed that step-up care, I then had to travel away to Melbourne."
Finances, family, and logistical challenges of Melbourne travel often meant Ms Kirk missed out on vital help.
Ms Kirk's recovery journey at home wasn't much easier.
"You're trying to integrate yourself back into society, which is something you have isolated yourself from, so there needs to be a step-down support facility where it meets the person's needs of every level of their recovery."
Dozens being turned away
Ms Kirk's struggle for regional help isn't unique.
Dozens of residents in the border region of are being turned away from accessing local help for eating disorders every year due to lack of services.
"Last year, just in 2021, I did turn away 43 referrals for eating disorders knowing that there's not really anywhere to turn them away to, suggesting other people who have closed books and telehealth options in the cities," Albury-based health psychologise, Bronwyn Wood, said.
She admits doing that is tough.
She said all levels of care were needed to help fill the gaps in eating disorder services.
Albury Wodonga Health's Psychiatric nurse consultant Haylee Adamson says accessibility is a huge part of the problem.
"Physical health we have got really well funded, everyone knows what it means, mental health is still the hidden shame.
"It needs to be sitting within public health so that we can provide a service that crosses the physical health and mental health, and also allows for collaboration with the community and private services as well, so we are all working together."
Creating their own support
Regional residents waiting for help have now created their own.
Meryl Wilcox co-founded the North East Eating Disorder Support Group, alongside Ms Kirk, five years ago after feeling helpless as her daughter began battling an eating disorder from 2010.
She said her daughter was admitted to Melbourne hospitals and clinics more than 15 times in the first five years of diagnosis.
The gap between help and home only sabotaged her recovery.
"Each time she'd come back here to Albury and we couldn't find that cohesive integrated team.
"That was hard.
"When she came back home I think she felt defeated and I think that was a time that she probably gave up in believing she could get better."
Finally, she connected with a local psychologist, and over time began to get her life back.
"Having that opportunity to get well in her own community and supported by her own community, she began to emerge out of the illness."
But the wait for more local help continues.
"The amount of families that have come to the support group…there is so many people with eating disorder that don't speak up, that can't speak up."
Regional facility needed
The Independent Member for Indi, Helen Haines, listened to these stories at the weekend as part of a push for the federal government to invest six million dollars to build a new eating disorder treatment and recovery facility in Albury Wodonga.
"Since COVID, the demand for services has grown even more.
"We urgently need support."
The closest treatment available for Albury Wodonga is Melbourne or Geelong.
Early intervention and local support is vital, according to La Trobe University Associate Professor, Leah Brennan.
"If people with an eating disorder can access effective treatment as soon as possible after the onset of the eating disorder they have a very good chance of making a full recovery."
