The Elisa Project is an organization founded 30 years ago and is dedicated to helping fight against eating disorders. On February 26th, TEP held it’s annual Life Lessons Luncheon at Dallas Market Center.

The Life Lessons Luncheon is a very important fundraiser for The Elisa Project and helps raise much needed funding for the fight against eating disorders, as well as education and care.

Rick and Leslie McCall (Highland Park residents) founded The Elisa Project after their daughter, Elisa took her own life after struggling for years with depression and an eating disorder. The McCall’s started The Elisa Project with the hope of providing individuals and their loved ones with education and support while increasing community awareness, promoting recognition of the warning signs, encouraging treatment, and providing objective information regarding the availability of appropriate professional services. At the time of her death, Elisa McCall was a vibrant, beautiful 20-year-old college student who had struggled with bulimia and depression for more than seven years before she took her own life, and she felt there was no hope, and she had no control over this disease.

The Life Lessons Luncheon is a beautiful event that inspires guests with hope and shows the commitment the staff and the Board of Directors (of which I am a member) have for this important cause that affects the lives of millions of Americans.  This disease has great impact on not just the poeple that suffer from it, but on their families as well.

Approximately 100 guests mingled at the VIP party and met Lady Grace Byers, award-winning actress and author was the keynote speaker of the day.

The luncheon was inspirational, and guests left with a sense of hope and purpose. Lady Grace Byers had an amazing message of inspiration and positivity, and the event ended with a fantastic raffle.

I don’t know of many women who don’t think about something with regards to their body in a negative way. Body image in our culture is at an all time high, and as a former dancer, I have seen this disease affect so many girls. I also have looked in the mirror and thought negative thoughts about myself. The Elisa Project is so important to help bring education, awareness, and hope to this cause which takes the life of a person every 62 minutes, an astounding figure. A few important things to know about eating disorders:

• At least 30 million people of all ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. ¹
• Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder.
• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness.

You can help and make an impact.  Please learn more and support The Elisa Project.  You can find more information at https://theelisaproject.org