Philadelphia - November 13, 2006 - For Immediate Release - A Chance to Heal Foundation reacted today to the documentary Thin, by Lauren Greenfield, which captures six months in the lives of four women, ages 15-30, striving to recover from anorexia in a residential treatment program.
A Chance to Heal representatives viewed the film in advance of its HBO premiere, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 9 p.m. Even before its initial airing, the merit of the film - which remains in rotation through the end of the year - A Chance to Heal and health care providers have debated the lack of balance in Thin and the skewed portrayal of the complexity of the illness.
"While the film accurately portrays the difficulty in securing insurance coverage for full treatment and alludes to the devastating financial and emotional outcomes for patients and families Thin fails to include stories of those responding to treatment successfully," said Ivy Silver, co-founder of A Chance to Heal. "While we know that there are many challenges and setbacks along the road, with treatment most people do get well and there is hope. Unfortunately, that important message is missing in Thin which paints a very one-sided, grim portrayal of treatment and recovery."
Rachel Silver is a success story. At age 17, Rachel, co-founder of A Chance to Heal became one of the millions of people afflicted with anorexia. After inpatient treatment followed by outpatient therapy, Rachel is thriving in recovery. Now a sophomore at the University of Miami. Rachel is an active member of the board of directors of A Chance to Heal Foundation, the organization she co-founded with her mother, Ivy Silver, in 2005.
Eating disorders are serious illnesses with a biological basis modified and influenced by emotional and cultural factors. According to Thomas R. Insel, M.D., director of the National Institute of Mental Health, "Research tells us that anorexia nervosa is a brain disease with severe metabolic effects on the entire body." Nearly 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life-and-death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
A Chance to Heal Foundation headquartered in Jenkintown, PA, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing the longer-term impact of eating disorders by promoting early diagnosis and treatment; increasing public awareness of the costs associated with recovery; advocating for change to ensure continued access to quality care through regulatory initiatives, insurance contract revisions and corporate commitment to care.
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