From Sister to Stranger
Since childhood, I have wanted to find a solution to all my problems. I hungered to discover more and uncover answers, even if my thirst for knowledge meant endless hours of staring at my chromebook with weary eyes and relentlessly asking my parents questions. Simultaneously overwhelmed and elated by the vastness of the universe, I could not accept the world as it is without trying to dig deeper.
I never hesitated to delve into new challenges. So when my younger sister was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, I was just as willing to trek through uncharted and, at times, uncomfortable territories.
During my sophomore year of high school, I watched my sister change into someone unrecognizable. Her wide beaming smile dwindled into a firm line across her face. Her soft shiny hair had become coarse and brittle, lacking the fullness and liveliness it once had. Her bronzed skin turned pallid and dull. Beyond drastic changes in her physical appearance, my sister's eating disorder also affected her mental state. Sudden outbursts of anger made our home environment extremely unpredictable. Family dinners became less enjoyable and eating out became stressful. So I urged my parents to seek professional help.
By the end of my junior year, my sister had entered a treatment center that specialized in eating disorders in hopes of restoring weight and ultimately reaching full recovery. Conscious of the stigma surrounding mental illness, I cited “family issues" when my friends or teachers inquired into the reason for my sister's absence from school. Part of me wondered if it was my fault. Younger siblings tend to look up to their older siblings, and as a student athlete, I worried that my active lifestyle had negatively affected my sister. Was I the catalyst to her spiral into an eating disorder? Was I the one to blame?
Overflowing with questions and curiosity, I wasted no time taking action. My inquisitiveness took over and I began researching eating disorders and mental health extensively, reading numerous articles and books. I then put my newfound knowledge to the test and reached out to Project HEAL.
I started a fundraising page and became a Project HEAL ambassador, hoping that my small actions could somehow help families struggling to support a loved one battling an eating disorder.
Through my contribution to this organization, I was able to broaden my knowledge on eating disorders and inform my family on how they can become more transparent with others about my sister's struggles.
I taught them to avoid speaking about certain topics that may be triggering during my sister's recovery and refrain from making unnecessary comments about someone's appearance, whether they may be intentional or not. Project HEAL fostered my strong desire to help support those battling this life-altering disorder.
Despite being 263 miles apart, my sister and I reforged the connection we once had through daily calls and emails. Recently, my sister shared with me that re-establishing our relationship is one of the main motives that continues to push her through recovery.
Now, as my sister navigates her way through the roads of recovery, my family and I continue to support her at home. Anorexia Nervosa stole my lively and bubbly younger sister, but I know she is stronger than her disorder and I am willing to support her throughout her journey.