Adam's Story in his own words
"Hi my name is Adam.
About a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. Following my diagnosis, I was hospitalised for several weeks as a result of my critical condition.
I can still remember how horrible my life had seemed at the time: I had socially distanced myself from friends, my hands were blue with cold despite it being in the middle of summer and I was so weak that walking around the block was a struggle, yet I continued to force myself to do strenuous exercise. Thanks to my mum contacting the hospital, I was taken under the care of the EDYS team.
I wont lie to you, the process to recovery is challenging. There were times when I thought everybody around me was out to get me – even my holiday was cancelled! However, the EDYS team and my family knew exactly what they were doing – it was natural for that evil voice inside my head to despise them for trying to get rid of it – and they helped me get back on track to living my life to the fullest.
I know for a fact that without the EDYS team, my recovery journey would have been impossible. They offered 24/7 support through their hotline as well as regular sessions where we would discuss how I was feeling recently, how I can combat the anorexic voices in my head, what I want to achieve in the future and how I would get there. The staff at EDYS truly are amazing and they went above and beyond in helping me. Each member was so kind and friendly that I would consider them as friends.
I want people to know who are currently struggling that they are not alone. I know exactly how depressed, lonely and painful life can be feeling at the moment and the best decision that you can make right now is to contact the EDYS team.
I myself am still not 100% myself yet but I know that I am within reach. The process of recovery is long and it is hard but it is worth it and none of it would be possible without the support from the EDYS team at Alder Hey."
7 in 10 children and young people who experience a mental health condition have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. Alder Hey Children’s Charity’s ‘7 in 10 Children’s Mental Health Appeal’ is aiming to raise vital funds to enhance inpatient and Community mental health services at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, enabling more children to access the treatment they need at the time they need it.
A new ‘Clinical Hub’ is being built which will include mental health outpatient facilities and a brand new twelve bed specialist inpatient mental health Unit, alongside other cross dependent community health services.
Located right next door to its state-of-the art specialist hospital and within a modern, child-friendly building, the enhanced provision of mental health services will increase current available inpatient bed capacity and enable more children and young people to be seen and treated quickly by experienced, specialist clinicians.
Patients and their families will be able to receive rapid and early access to co-ordinated multi-disciplinary care, benefitting from the most up to date assessment and diagnosis facilities. The Hub will also enable Alder Hey’s community services to link more closely with its specialist hospital services, enhancing care for children with long term conditions such as neurology, cardiology and infectious diseases.
You can support Alder Hey and patients like Adam by making a donation or set up a regular monthly direct debit here.