Heather has suffered from eating disorders, but with the help of beat she is now focused on staying healthy and what she can achieve in the future.
Heather is 20 years old and is an Ambassador for beat. She decided to become an Ambassador after suffering from anorexia. Her aim is to raise awareness and to try and improve understanding and services for sufferers.
Heather has always had problems with food, but her problem started to get out of control around the time of her GCSEs. She couldn't cope with the work and the stress. Her friends made her go to the doctor, but the nurse looked at her and laughed. She told Heather she was thin and should eat more.
It got worse, until eventually Heather's father took her down to the hospital - they told her it was just for a check up. However, they wouldn't let her leave the hospital and told her that her heart could fail any day and that she had to have complete bed rest. She couldn't even walk anywhere without a wheelchair.
Working with beat has helped Heather to stay focused on being healthy as it helps her to see everything that she can achieve. "My life was saved - and many more can be if people stop suffering in silence. If I can help or inspire even one person as an Ambassador, then I will know that what I am doing is worthwhile," she says.
Read more about our work with beat and other lives being turned around by our tremendous charities and social enterprises.
In philanthropy as well as business, money alone can only do so much; it is money combined with skills and experience that achieve real impact. Impetus Trust is leading the way in creating lasting change through this strategic combination.
Sir Ronald Cohen
Impetus supporter