'Suffering for years': Advocates call on B.C. to improve health supports for adults with eating disorders
A Vancouver Island advocacy group is calling on the B.C. government for better access to safe and timely supports for adults with eating disorders.
Members of Vancouver Island Voices for Eating Disorders (VIVED) held a rally at the B.C. Legislature on Tuesday afternoon, marking the last day of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week for 2023.
"The theme this year is 'transforming asks into action.' For us, that really meant it was important to go public and to be demanding action from our health authorities and from our ministries," said VIVED member Celeste Macevicius.
"We’re really asking for better engagement of people with lived and living experience with eating disorders to be involved," she said.
"We’ve been trying. We write policy briefs and we try to set up meetings and we keep getting excluded or dismissed."
VIVED is calling on the province for more funding and education, to create community support groups, and to fund team-based treatment options that would include dietitians, counsellors and general practitioners.
The group says eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness in B.C., and that waiting for adequate treatment is costing people their lives.
"And there’s many more who are suffering for years who have had to quit their jobs, who have had to quit their community commitments, who are leaving their families," said Macevicius.
"One of my closest friends waited three months for a bed. She’s on palliative care right now and suffering to such a high degree that would not have been necessary if there had just been adequate, safe and accessible services for her," she said.
At Tuesday’s rally, members of VIVED displayed 20 painted rocks in memory of loved ones who died of eating disorders before the age of 60.
The group says it will keep holding rallies and writing policy briefs to put pressure on the province for change.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
'Secret report' or standard research? B.C. government addresses safe supply allegations
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
She was too sick for a traditional transplant. So she received a pig kidney and a heart pump
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.