One mother's mission for male anorexia awareness

I thought this was a moving video piece in the Lansing State Journal about Susan Barry's son, TJ Warschefsky, who died of anorexia Valentine's Day 2007 at the age of 22. He took his last breath while completing his nightly sit-up ritual.

One thing this video reminds me of is how insidious and powerful an eating disorder can be. Even when you have various treatment stints, parents who care and are supportive, there is still such a persistence with the illness. I don't know all the details of this particular story, but like so many others, it wasn't for lack of love or trying.

Susan Barry has now made it her mission to bring about awareness for male anorexia. She is currently writing a book, beginning a support group for parents in the Lansing area, and raising money for research through a 5K race.

I think it is important to have an advocate for males who are suffering from eating disorders. Although there is now more awareness that males too suffer from these illnesses, it is still an area of research and treatment which is lacking. Laura Collins points this out well in the piece.

I hope this advocacy for males with eating disorders continue, because in the end, eating disorders don't discriminate, and it is as much an illness of a woman's as it is a man's.