About 100 people ranging from Binghamton University students and faculty to local residents crowded into the Mandela Room of the Old University Union on Wednesday for a presentation on the education and prevention of eating disorders.
“Andrea’s Voice: Silenced by Bulimia” is a program which takes the audience through the Smeltzer family’s loss, told through the words of Doris and Tom Smeltzer, as well as their daughter, Andrea.
Her mother said Andrea was an overachieving student who had a love for languages, mastering Spanish and German, and sought to make the world a better place. She was the president of her high school’s Amnesty International group and attended Pitzer College in Los Angeles to study international business and politics.
At the age of 19, however, Andrea lost her life to eating disorders during recovery in a treatment center. After this tragedy, Doris Smeltzer decided to devote her life to educating the nation on eating disorders.
In 1999, Doris Smeltzer began giving speeches about eating disorders and in 2006 she and her husband Tom created the nonprofit Andrea’s Voice Foundation. Since then, Doris and Tom have toured the country telling others of their devastating loss and informing people about this “silent epidemic.”
“Eating disorders are deadly, they kill,” Doris Smeltzer said. “People think there is a choice involved, and while there is a choice at first, eventually the illness claims the person.”
Though many families have lost loved ones to eating disorders, Doris Smeltzer said she believes this outcome is not inevitable.
“If you notice someone with an eating disorder, don’t ignore it. Help them help themselves,” she said. “Recovery takes two things: a team of caregivers and time.”
Doris Smeltzer said what most people do not realize is that eating disorders are rooted in an individual’s feelings, often generated by society and peers. In order to cope with these feelings, some resort to eating disorders.
The presentation dealt with the personal story of the Smeltzer family, but also covered the topic of eating disorders as a whole.
Dieting is not healthy and often this is where the illness starts, Doris Smeltzer said. She said she believes we need to be accepting of our bodies and end “fat talk.”
Doris Smeltzer said recent campaigns, such as Dove’s Campaign for Beauty, and the voice of celebrities, such as Kate Winslet, have promoted positive self-images and denounced the practice of retouching in publications.
Doris Smeltzer said magazines have a huge impact on an individual’s self-esteem. She had the opportunity to meet with the editor of a major magazine, which she declined to name publicly.
When Doris Smeltzer asked the editor how she determines which articles go into the magazine, the editor responded that they ask themselves the question, “Does it make women feel bad about themselves?” If they could answer yes, then the article went in.
It all boils down to body dissatisfaction and prevention is the best medicine, according to Doris Smeltzer. People need to be informed for a change to take place.
When asked what her favorite part of the program was, Doris Smeltzer responded, “Andrea.”
“She is with us at every presentation,” Doris Smeltzer said. “She lives on through us and wants us to tell her story.”
Jennifer Wegmann, a professor in the health and wellness studies department and member of BU’s Eating Awareness Committee, said she views Mrs. Smeltzer as an inspiration.
“Doris has you in tears one moment, but lightens the atmosphere and brings you joy in the next,” Wegmann said.
Emily Yodowitz, a senior majoring in political science, is in two of Wegmann’s classes.
“I never knew a lot about eating disorders, only what I learned in high school in health class and physical education,” Yodowitz said. “Doris really pulls you into her story and it was shocking for me to hear a firsthand account of an eating disorder.”