Episode 15: Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2021: Raising Awareness and Encouraging Advocacy with Ary from NEDIC

Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW) runs annually each February from the 1st to the 7th. EDAW has been commemorated across Canada since 1988 by established eating disorder organizations, education and public health institutions, and concerned members of the public. It draws attention to the causes, prevalence and impact of eating disorders. Traditionally, organizations around the country host local events, light notable landmarks in the colour purple, and engage in public education campaigns in an effort to raise awareness of eating disorders.

Today, for our special EDAW episode of the podcast, Stephani chats with Ary Maharaj. Ary is the Outreach and Education Coordinator at the National Eating Disorders Information Centre, or NEDIC, based out of Toronto. A secondary area of Ary’s work, outside of his role at NEDIC, is providing counselling and group therapy in his community.

NEDIC provides information, resources, referrals and support to Canadians affected by eating disorders through their toll-free helpline and instant chat. NEDIC’s outreach and education programming focuses on the awareness and prevention of eating disorders and is available online across Canada and in-person in the Greater Toronto Area.

Ary and Stephani discuss, what is eating disorders awareness week, some myths and misconceptions associated with eating disorders, changes that could be made within our health care system in order to improve eating disorder care, how far we need to go when it comes to eating disorder prevention and how we get there, and all ither things eating disorder awareness and advocacy!

For more information on NEDIC or to reach out for help through their toll-free number or instant chat, please visit: www.nedic.ca.

To learn more about what BANA has planned for EDAW 2021, please visit: www.bana.ca/edaw, or check out our social media @banawindsor.