Are you a passionate, eager individual who wants to help others improve body image, reduce stigma of eating disorders, and spread awareness? Then the love our bodies, love ourselves movement is right for you
British Columbia’s Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness Campaign (PEDAW): love our bodies, love ourselves, is launched every year from February 1-7 with activities and events taking place throughout the year. It is a province wide effort, brought to the province by Jessie’s Legacy Eating Disorders Prevention & Awareness Program, to raise awareness around prevention and early intervention of eating disorders as well as media literacy, resiliency, building healthy body image and self-esteem.
Eating disorders are not a choice
British Columbia’s eating disorders awareness campaign coincides with the national Canadian Eating Disorders Awareness Week. The theme for 2017 is “Eating Disorders Are Not a Choice”. The focus for both campaigns in 2017 will be to continue efforts to debunk the stigma surrounding eating disorders by spreading the message that eating disorders are not a choice. The campaigns and campaign followers will use the hashtags #notachoice and #EDAW2017. Event information can be found here.
We speak with Amy Pezzente, a coordinator with the Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
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About Amy Pezzente
Amy Pezzente works for the Jessie’s Legacy Eating Disorders Prevention & Awareness Program, where she leads the Provincial Eating Disorders Awareness (PEDAW) campaign.
Amy is a strong advocate for prevention and presents at schools, conferences, and workplaces on disordered eating, self-esteem, and body image. She is also the eating disorders project coordinator at the Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre (through BC Children’s Hospital), where she implements eating disorder projects and activities throughout the Province.
Finally, Amy is a program coordinator for the Looking Glass Foundation for Eating Disorders where she oversees the Eating Disorders Peer Online Support Groups. The field of eating disorders holds a very precious and delicate place in her heart and she has an intense passion for it.
