Testimonials

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Testimonials

EDRC Provides Resources

"I went to the mentorconnect website following EDRC's recommendation. I'm desperate to become healed from my eating addiction that I've had for so many years. There have been short periods of my life where I thought my eating was under control, and then: There it is! My eating and bulimia creeps back into my life again. I'm hoping to be healed forever. I am really starting to reach out, and thank you for helping me get started by finding a mentor." -Grateful Client

"Thank you for all that you do for thousands of kids who are quietly suffering from food disorders." -Sam Liccardo, San Jose City Council

"My daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder five years ago. As a parent, I just didn’t see it. I didn’t understand and I didn’t know how we would treat it. EDRC was so helpful giving me books, information about different programs and insights into my daughter’s mindset. They recommended group sessions and helped me vet treatment programs. It was a long ordeal and my daughter was in the hospital several times. But thanks to EDRC, we found a great program in the Bay Area and our daughter and our family are finally on the road to recovery". -Grateful mother

"My daughter suffered with an eating disorder for seven years. At the onset of her diagnosis, I was at a loss what to do. At the time, there was no place I could turn to for help. I only wish the EDRC had been in existence! The EDRC provides resources and supportive services on many levels for families and sufferers. It is a service the community cannot do without." -Grateful mother

"Thank you for making the public aware of how necessary it is to deal with and talk about this issue. It can be such a lonely place to be suffering from an eating disorder, but you made me realize I'm not alone." -Debbie Reek, EDRC Client

“Today I feel like I know so much more about my daughter’s eating disorder because of you. You simply:
Responded to my desperate calls
Listened to my story
Related to my daughter well
Assured me that I was doing the right thing
Directed me to experts
Gave me choices
This disorder is unfamiliar territory for me and I imagine for most parents. Thank you for shedding light on this illness.”
-Sally Arce, Grateful mother

“The work of the EDRC related to the key mission of raising awareness about the severe mental and physical health consequences of eating disorders is crucial to our region. No other coordinating body has taken on this important initiative although 5-8% of adolescents and adults suffer from these disorders. Anorexia Nervosa has a mortality rate between 5-10%, the highest of any psychiatric illness. However, early detection and intervention appears to greatly alter the course of the disorder reducing both mortality and morbidity. It has been my pleasure to present on behalf of EDRC’s speakers bureau throughout the region at various hospitals and community forums..." -Dr. Pamela Carlton

"EDRC has taken a determined, focused, and energetic approach to educating our community about the dire consequences of eating disorders. In doing so, EDRC has helped to dispel misleading myths about eating disorders, encouraged early identification of eating problems, and promoted awareness about what the biological basis of these disorders and how best to treat them." -Jim Lock, MD, Ph.D, Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Stanford University, Director, Eating Disorder Program, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

"Thank you for your help connecting me with the treatment team in Iowa. I didn't know where to start and you helped me find the right treatment program for me."-Grateful Client

“Thank you for making the public aware of how necessary it is to deal with and talk about eating disorders. It can be such a lonely place to be suffering from an eating disorder, but you made me feel I’m not alone.” -EDRC Client

“Thank you so much for being a local resource and for the excellent website. I am so impressed with the professionalism and the amount of work you have done. The web site looks great and is a true public service.” -Ellyn D. Herb, Ph.D.

“As Best Practices Chair for Eating Disorders for Kaiser Permanente, Northern California. I commend EDRC for their commitment to increasing awareness of eating disorders among health care professionals, connecting those with eating disorders to services, including an excellent website and monthly support groups and offering programs in the schools to help prevent eating disorders.” -Nan B Shaw, LCSW, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

“It is important that we have a local resource like EDRC available to guide patients and/or parents to information. Eating disorders are a very misunderstood disease and often go undiagnosed.” -Dr. Trifilo

EDRC Facilitates Support Groups

"Our family felt a wave of anxiety when it was time for our daughter to return home from treatment. We knew finding an outpatient treatment team in the Bay Area would be difficult. All the treatment centers she attended made promises to put aftercare in place, but none did, and we found ourselves on our own. Contacting the EDRC was truly a blessing. With EDRC resources, we were able to put a team of medical professionals together for my daughter on an outpatient level. In the early years, our family had desperately needed the understanding and support from others, but nothing existed until EDRC. It was so heartwarming to actually speak to someone on the other end of the phone who cared. They actually called me back and followed up with me to make certain I was getting the information I needed. The parent/family support group has become a safe haven of fellowship with wonderful women and men going through the same struggles and fears, and it continues to be a tremendous comfort. EDRC’s spirit of kindness, compassion, and helpfulness has provided an insurmountable amount of resources in educational, professional, and emotional support and has been a tremendous blessing to our daughter and family." -Grateful mother

"My daughter is doing very well in her recovery. Her vitals are stable...I can't thank you enough for the support and information you provided me. Without you and the Family and Friends support group, my daughter and I would have been lost." -Steve

"Attending the support group has given me a feeling that there is hope for my daughter. The group made me realize that eating disorders are complex illnesses, and not choiecs." -Support group attendee

"I was bulimic for about 1.5 years. For most of that time I lived in complete denial. It got really bad and at some point, deep inside, I knew I was sick. I never told anyone because I was afraid of how they would react. Finally, one day, after a bad episode, I looked in the mirror and faced reality. I needed help, badly. I called a counselor that specialized in eating disorders. She saw me immediately. At first getting the words out were so hard. She was the first person I had told. I felt so much better after I spoke with her getting all that out of my head. After our first session she recommended that I go to an EDRC meeting. I was nervous going to the meeting but that feeling went away immediately. It was so amazing and comforting to sit and talk to girls and women who were going through the same thing I was. Finally, I felt like a normal person again and I felt a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders. I continued seeing my counselor and attending EDRC meetings. The EDRC meetings were wonderful and such a big help to me. It took some time but I recovered and have been a very happy and healthy gal since the summer of 2007. Today my life is filled with so much love and happiness. I take good care of myself, eat healthy and exercise at healthy levels and I feel so good inside. I feel very fortunate that I faced reality and got help from the counselor and the EDRC." -Grateful client

“My daughter is doing very well in her recovery. Her vital signs are stable. I can’t thank you enough for the support and information you provided me. Without you and the Family and Friends support group, my daughter and I would have been lost.” -Grateful father

“I'm glad you have decided to do the group sessions twice a month. I'm trying to find solutions, answers and not blame myself for my daughter’s actions, but like always, parents feel responsible for the children's actions. It's been sleepless nights for me. I'm a single mom, so your support is truly appreciated.” -Grateful mother

“I was so scared to check out an eating disorders group. It took me 4 months to get the courage to attend. But this group has been the best thing I’ve done for myself in my life.” -Grateful client

"Our daughter developed anorexia over a year ago in the course of a very few months.
Until we connected with EDRC, we had no idea what hit us, where to get reliable information on what it is, what caused it, how best to treat it, where to find reliable treatment providers, how to deal with insurance companies and HIPPA laws, and how to get support for ourselves. We were simply overwhelmed, dealing with an illness we soon learned had to be managed aggressively, in order to increase the chances our daughter could recover from it . . .

We’ve been attending EDRC monthly support meetings this past year and each time, we have benefitted enormously by receiving important information and guidance, both from the group leaders as well as from other parents and loved ones. We also are grateful for the advice we've received from the outstanding guest experts, including physicians, dietitians, attorneys and therapists who came to share their knowledge. With eating disorders more and more prevalent, it is crucial for those affected to have a place to go for information and support. Thank you, Janice and your dedicated team of volunteers for providing this invaluable service.” -Stacey

EDRC Educates Community Members

"The presentation given to primary care doctors at Valley Medical Center on EDRC resources was great, thank you. We really appreciate your time and work to provide resources for this population." -Dr. Ginger Roehrig, SCVMC Primary Care Physician

“Thank you to EDRC and Dr. Sarah Forsberg for the informative presentation on eating disorders. The area of eating disorders is often neglected, due to a lack of accessible information. This often results in a lack of confidence among clinicians in even approaching the topic. Staff commented that they are more confident in their ability to address this area of treatment.”
--Christie Pfalzgraf, Alum Rock Counseling Center Supervisor

"The presentation by Laura Griffith at Milpitas Library during National Eating Disorders Awareness week was absorbing, and we had a good response from the community. Thank you so much for all you do to bring these issues to light." -Don Phillips, Teen Librarian at Milpitas Library, SCCLD

"Thank you for the presentation on healthy eating and physical exercise. Linda Sweeney did a great job presenting the material and the jeopardy game really got the students engaged. This was a very positive learning experience for them." -Perple Lu, Job Corps Academics Instructor

"Thank you for bringing the screening of this important film to San Jose. I am grateful to you for the work you do and feel lucky to have the EDRC in our community." -Jennifer Waldrop, San Jose State University Wellness & Health Promotion Coordinator

“Dr. Burgard’s presentation was excellent. Students were enthusiastic had lots of questions. I would highly recommend this presentation to health professionals working with any population. It is a fresh approach to assessing the health of individuals.”
-Linda Hoogendijk, Director of Nursing, Evergreen Community College

"As a result of the training I can better screen my clients for eating disorders. I now know how to access local community services and where to get support for my clients." -Workshop Attendee

“Thank you for the training on body image issues, disordered eating behaviors and thoughts, and how to approach students we may suspect as having an eating disorder. My staff and I feel more confident and competent to deal with this often hidden illness.” -Director Youth Services, YWCA Silicon Valley

"I really enjoyed last night's event. Everyone was very welcoming and the energy of EDRC was palpable! It was a pleasure to meet the Himmels and to hear their story." -Patti, Book signing attendee

“As a result of your physician training, I can better screen my patients for eating disorders. I now know how to access local community services and where to get support for my patients.” -Grateful physician

“Thank you for Dr. Kara Fitzpatrick’s program on eating disorders. As a result of the presentation our staff is now better aware of how to identify signs and symptoms of eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders; understand the differences between them; learn about local experts and evidence-based treatments; and local resources for parents, families and physicians.” -Director, Las Plumas Clinic

"Thanks again to Dr. Carlton for an excellent presentation! It was really relevant to our practices and I have gotten a bunch of feedback that it was well-received. In fact, several of my colleagues have already begun doing more screening of their patients and have become more aware of possible red flags for an eating disorder. Thank you EDRC for making this possible."

-Andrea Cervenka, M.D., Santa Clara Health and Hospital System

EDRC Advocates for Care

“Thank you for your help with advocating on behalf of my daughter’s treatment for anorexia. Because of your guidance, the HMO has decided to cover my daughter’s treatment. You gave me encouragement to continue advocating when I was feeling worn down.” -Grateful mother

"Unfortunately, Medi-Cal's coverage for treating those suffering from an eating disorder is essentially nonexistent. I was desperate to find the proper treatment for my client, who was struggling with her anorexia. My client's mother was unable to afford the costly fees of outpatient/in patient treatment programs and my client's weight was getting dangerously low. Thankfully, I found the Eating Disorder Resource Center and was put in contact with Janice Bremis. The EDRC worked tirelessly to provide me with resources and contacts that would provide my client with the care that she needs. Thanks to the EDRC my client is in the process of entering a treatment program at Stanford that is specifically designed to treat eating disorders in adolescents. Thank you for providing a resource that serves all clients struggling with eating disorders regardless of their level of income." -Diana Lohr, LCWS Momentum for Mental Health

Words from Our Funders

"I am delighted that Rotary Club of San Jose was able to donate funds to help EDRC purchase much needed computer equipment, books, and marketing materials to take their work to the next level. The community needs to learn about this vital topic. We are pleased to support EDRC through our rotary endowment. We see and appreciate the good work they are doing in our community." -Lisa Jafferies, Rotary Club Member and Kaiser Permanente Employee

"Kaiser is happy to sponsor this program as part of our healthy lifestyle focus area. EDRC is successfully reaching out to both the general and medical communities. Feeding your body well, being active, and feeling good about yourself matters more than a number on the scale." -Darcie Green, Manager, Community and Government Relations, Kaiser San Jose Medical Center

"Congratulations on the successes that your agency is achieving. I was excited to see the news about the 3-to-1 match from San Jose Medical Center Foundation. Enclosed is my check to help you reach your $200,000 goal. Keep up the good work!" -Toni Ensunsa, Director, Stability Programs, United Way Silicon Valley

"We appreciate and value the work of EDRC in Silicon Valley. We hope our challenge grant will encourage many of you to become a donors." -Justine Choy, Program Officer, The Health Trust

“Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to improve the health of our members and communities we serve. We thank the Eating Disorders Resource Center for your tenacity and commitment to our community’s health.” -Elizabeth Sills, Kaiser Permanente South Bay Community Benefit Manager

“El Camino Hospital is pleased to support EDRC. Thank you for the excellent work your center provides. We appreciate having your expert team of volunteers and resources available for our hospital, our community and our partners.” -Barbara Avery, Director, Community Benefit, El Camino Hospital

"The Lockheed Martin Emplyees' Foundation is happy to support EDRC and their efforts to promote awareness, recovery, and advocacy." -Vanessa Williams, Executive Director, Lockheed Martin Employees' Foundation

“I continue to be impressed and grateful for the multi-prong work of the EDRC. Our hospital will continue to support this vital agency that is providing unique and much needed services to health care professionals, patients and their families.” -Candace Roney, Executive Director, Community Partnerships, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

EDRC Volunteers Make the Difference

"The most rewarding part of my job is when children and adults learn to have a good relationshp with food and when all those who suffer from eating disorders become healthy and love their bodies" -Grace Shih, RD, EDRC Board Member