A Bendigo advocate has celebrated the announcement of a new research program at Melbourne's Orygen Youth Health institute and said anything that helps those living with eating disorders is a positive.
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Stacey Rogers - Eating Disorder Families Australia carer support facilitator for Bendigo - said it was a relief to see committed research into eating disorders.
As the carer support facilitator for Bendigo families Ms Rogers is not just someone locals can call for support. She also has lived experience when it comes to caring for family members who are battling eating disorders.
"It's so great that the eating disorders are getting the attention," Ms Rogers said.
"It's a really long time coming and in the pandemic we know that there's been so many more people who have been diagnosed with eating disorders through anxiety related mental illnesses.
"It's very timely and we're very excited as parents to have this investment."
Orygen's research aims to improve the treatment and support for young people across the state living with disordered eating, with Medical Research Minister Jaala Pulford announcing $500,000 for the program based in Parkville on Monday.
"This new research program is about looking into the best ways to prevent, detect and treat what we know to be a debilitating mental health disorder," Ms Pulford said.
"We're helping young people with eating disorders by investing in research that can improve treatments and give them the best chance of a full recovery."
This state government funding comes after it's budget's delivery of $20 million to support up to 3200 people living with eating disorders across the state.
As part of the response to the Royal Commission into Mental Health, the budget also outlined the plan for a state-wide eating disorders strategy.
Orygen's chief of research Professor Eoin Killackey welcomed the research opportunities to look into evidenced-based solutions along the way - from prevention to diagnosis, early intervention to preventing relapse.
"Orygen welcomes this funding from the Victorian government which will enable our researchers to work with partners nationally and internationally to better understand eating disorders and develop new and more effective approaches to early intervention care and treatment," he said.
Ms Rogers said it is amazing to have government acknowledgement of the impact eating disorders are having on communities.
"Having the research specifically here in Victoria, I think we have the opportunity to have a lot of input with this," she said.
The sooner people are identified as having an eating disorder, the less likely they are to have ongoing effects in their life and for every dollar spent thousands of dollars will be saved.
- Stacey Rogers
Ms Rogers said Orygen's youth focus on those between 12 and 25 aligned closely with her experience helping carers in the community and the ages of their loved one.
"We often hear that the GPs are not sympathetic or they don't understand and it's often not until the youth are admitted to hospital because they're medically unstable, that they are diagnosed with an eating disorder," Ms Rogers said.
"So putting supports and money into that kind of education for those professions will have a massive impact in the regional areas.
"But I also think that putting supports for carers along this journey of the eating disorder that there will be a better outcome as well."
Those who need support can call the Butterfly's national helpline on 1800 33 4673.
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