February 10, 2009

Students participate in national advocacy campaign

SEARCY, Ark.—Students in the department of family and consumer sciences at Harding University will volunteer for the National Eating Disorders Association's 22nd annual NEDAwareness Week, which lasts from Feb. 22 to 28.

NEDAwareness Week is the largest eating disorders outreach effort in the country. The theme this year is "Until Eating Disorders Are History."

The NEDA began in 1987 as an attempt to reach millions of people with a message of prevention, hope and recovery. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.

As a part of NEDAwareness Week 2009, NEDA is launching chapters of the STAR program in 30 states. STAR, or States for Treatment Access and Research, is embarking on a national advocacy campaign for legislative change that will improve eating disorder care, increase awareness and mandate prevention programs in every state.

Dr. Beth Wilson, chair of the department of family and consumer sciences at Harding University, is the STAR Program Leader for Arkansas. Students in the department will attend the Arkansas Launch of the Worldwide Charter on Feb. 2 in the rotunda of the Arkansas Capitol.

The charter is a patient bill of rights that calls for collaboration among patients, families and treatment teams to insure the highest quality care for everyone undergoing treatment for an eating disorder. Harding students attending the launch will lobby state legislators to pass this bill.

Harding had a record enrollment this year of more than 6,500 students from 48 states and 52 foreign countries. It is the largest private university in Arkansas and attracts more National Merit Scholars than any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France/Switzerland, Greece, Italy and Zambia.