March 1, 2017 ... A Night with the Experts

Many on here read about the passing of my daughter Morgan, last October 30, 2016. She was 23 years old and had fought an eating disorder for 7 long years. Your sympathy and strong words of support helped so much and I thank you all for that.

Morgan often referred to us as “twins.” She had that joyous spirit that caught people’s attention and when she walked into a room, people knew she was there. At her “Celebration of Life,” there were a number of young women who attended and who have since written to me telling me how Morgan had saved their lives … that she was a bright light for them and brought them hope. And then, things began to happen. And a true journey in life was presented to me seemingly by coincidence, or fate or karma. But, a very poignant statement was made just yesterday by the pastor at the church I now attend when he said, “When you have found your purpose in life, God finds a way of making it happen.”

In the past three (3) months, I started the first Texas Chapter of Project HEAL, a non-profit foundation based in New York specializing in eating disorders. You can google it: Project HEAL – North Texas Chapter. I have also been accepted to give a TEDx talk in April at the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Children’s Theater Center is presenting a play beginning this week entitled, “Eat … It’s Not About Food.” I may be speaking to attendees after at least one of the performances as an expert in the field.

But of greater import, is that on behalf of Project HEAL - North Texas Chapter, I have partnered with a non-profit foundation called The Elisa Project here in the Dallas area to present a seminar. The Executive Director of The Elisa Project is the incredible Kimberly Martinez. I have convinced, begged, pleaded, and/or threatened three (3) of the foremost experts on eating disorders in the State of Texas to appear on March 1, 2017 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on the campus of the University of Texas at Dallas to speak for 2 hours on eating disorders. These experts are:

Dr. Carrie McAdams from UT Southwestern;

Dr. Stephanie Setliff from Eating Recovery Center of Dallas;

Dr. Dana Rubin-Remer from Girls to Women Health and Wellness Clinic.

This event is free to the public. Doctors, counselors, teachers, parents, students are all welcome. We hope to have a crowd of at least 300 attending.

This seminar is being conducted during the heart of eating disorder awareness week and at the end of Eating Disorder Awareness Month in Texas. And as far as my research has found, nothing like this has ever been done in the United States. And since we are in Texas, I firmly believe in the saying, “Go Big or Go Home!”

As such, I am trying to arrange to have it simulcast on the internet and perhaps a local cable station as well. I have met a person who does part-time PR for the Mark Cuban Companies with ties in the broadcast industry. She can get this event the publicity it needs. Promotional material, a website and other miscellaneous costs will be incurred as well.

This is where you come in. I could have gone the gofundme route. But, since I partnered with The Elisa Project, and since they are a 501(c)(3) organization, we decided to simply use their donation window. We have the costs targeted at around $15,000.00. Any amount you donate is much needed and is so appreciated! I have embedded the donation page for The Elisa Project, or you can contact them directly by mail, or however you wish to donate. Their Tax ID Number is 75-2828903. Of course, if needed, I can get you their IRS letter of determination. In your donation, please put it is for the March 1 event or “Night of the Experts.”

http://theelisaproject.org/donate

You may be asking yourself, “why should I donate to this cause? It’s just an eating disorder… and that is just a rich little white girl’s illness.” Now, I could inundate you with shocking statistics, but instead I will just give you two statistics:

1. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

2. Every sixty-two (62) minutes, someone dies as a direct result of an eating disorder.

You read that correctly. EVERY SIXTY-TWO (62) MINUTES, SOMEONE DIES AS A DIRECT RESULT OF AN EATING DISORDER. My beloved daughter became one of those statistics. And I want to help prevent other dads from having to sit in a hospital room, holding their daughter’s hand for the last time as her last breath of life leaves her forever. And with that last breath of life, so too does a part of his soul leave.

Finally, right after Morgan passed away, I could almost hear the Devil laughing as he whispered in my ear, “You are not strong enough to withstand the coming storm.” Now, I am whispering in the Devil’s ear, “I am the storm.”

Help us save lives ... one precious life at a time. And do NOT let your loved one be that next statistic.