You know when you see a story about a hero and the person whose life they saved getting to meet again? The news will always have a picture of that first hug, and you can see in it the depth of what happened between those two strangers. Gratitude. Wonder. Reminiscence. Celebration. And that one deep breath as they both consider that one of them so easily could not even be alive. Just a year ago, the most improbable chain of events left me severely medically compromised and led me to the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health. Dr. Margherita Mascolo, medical director at ACUTE, did what no other doctor had yet been able to do: she saved my life. (That story here.) Yesterday, we met again. I stood in front of her, once again healthy. Once again writing and speaking about the reality of full recovery from an eating disorder. Once again researching ways to help those fighting this vicious disease. And Dr. Mascolo? She’s speaking anywhere she can about the many medical complications of eating disorders, which strangely are still mostly unknown in the medical field (despite the fact that eating disorders carry one of the highest mortality rates, with around 50% of those deaths the direct result of medical complications). Yesterday, we got that first hug, and it was everything that you’ve ever thought when you’ve seen one of these pictures. Everything and more. Now, it is a new day, and there is much to be done. Let's get to work. My deepest thanks to the entire team on ACUTE.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a severe eating disorder, contact the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at (844) 649-8844 to learn more about their program, to receive a free medical assessment or to begin the admission or referral process.
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