My beautiful sister Jessica had an eating disorder for 16 years

My beautiful sister Jessica had an eating disorder for 16 years. She suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2016 and lost her life. My parents fought endlessly for those 16 years for her, they never gave up.

It started at the age of 16 in Year 12 – with the pressure of exams, then uni and then work. Treatment was always in and out of hospitals just feeding them to a healthy weight then kicking them out for the next person. This disorder is a mental illness and we need to focus on treating people mentally first, then the eating will come.

It was a roller coaster ride that never stopped. She loved her family and it really was all she had left. Friends didn’t understand and she pushed them away.

I would do anything to have her back, and my heart goes out to anyone going through this awful time.