View Our Submissions

Here are the many hundreds of submissions we received from people all over Canada in response to our campaign question: If we’re really going to get to the other side of eating disorders, something’s gotta give ... What is it?

The question was the anchor to a 7-month digital campaign, a public rally in Vancouver, and a massive, year-long film project.

Broadly speaking, some fifteen themes emerged from the campaign submissions we received, and these eventually informed the content of our short film series. It's by acting on these various perspectives that we -- as individuals, as institutions, as a society -- might "lock arms" against this disease and really get to the other side.

Widespread Social Dialogue

I think one thing we can do is start looking at the conversations that never take place around eating disorders. Sometimes we don’t talk about eating disorders because they are surrounded in thick clouds of stigma, or they're dismissed...


Instilling Hope

One thing that’s gotta give is the attribution of labels such as “chronic” or “unmotivated” to patients who are struggling. From personal experience, I can say that being told that I/my illness was seen in that way made my heart sink...


Road to Recovery

Recovery is just that - a life long journey - there is no final destination. However, there are things we can do to make the journey a little easier along the way....


Listening to the Patient

I think something that’s gotta give in order to get to the other side of eating disorders, is the assumption (usually well meaning) that patients can’t/don’t know what is best for their recovery...


Access to Timely, Appropriate Treatment

Something that’s gotta give is the accessibility of treatment for all who are struggling...Access to timely support, and treatment that fits the need of the individual is critical to getting to the other side of eating disorders...


Belief in Ourselves

One thing that's gotta give is the belief that conquering the eating disorder is out of our own personal control. I believe God gives us the power through his Holy Spirit, but we, in recovery, have a major part to play too...


Feelings are Okay

One thing that's gotta give is our society telling us it's not okay to be highly sensitive. No matter what our feelings, they are okay. We can't control how we feel; we can only control how we react. Our feelings are our feelings, and no one can take them from us....


Remember the Joy

One thing that's gotta give is finding safety in the eating disorder. No one wants to feel crummy, and yet we remain in that place because it's what we know, what feels safe. But we have to remember the times when we were filled with joy....


Mind, Body, Spirit

One thing that's gotta give is the lack of recognition that our mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected to compose our soul. If one part of our soul suffers, the other parts of our soul suffer...


Self Acceptance

One thing that's gotta give is a lack of self-acceptance. From having suffered from anorexia and gained a quarter of my weight back in recovery and still hearing the voice of condemnation, though thankfully much less, I really believe...