On Tuesday, 28-year-old Emma Lyle met the woman who helped change her life for the first time. That woman was Kim Duffy, the co-founder of the WaterStone Foundation.
Through her daughter’s journey with eating disorders, Duffy not only learned firsthand the severity of the issue – but also the difficulties of seeking treatment in Ontario.
“We had to wait eight months at that time to even have an assessment to determine exactly what type of eating disorder and what her issues were,” said Duffy. “That was far too long.”
After seeking out the help her daughter needed in United States, Duffy said she realized not everyone can afford the private health care in Canada. This led her to the WaterStone Foundation.
Three years later, the foundation is supporting many recipients afford specialized treatment outside of the public system.
Lyle is one of many successes through the foundation.
“When I was 20, I knew something wasn’t right. I was starting to become fearful of foods,” Lyle recalled.
“For me, it was never about seeing myself as obese or overweight. I was not the textbook case.”
Various life events, including the separation of her parents, triggered Lyle into micro-managing her food. She said it was a means of gaining control over her life.
Without the WaterStone Foundation, Lyle said she wouldn’t be where she is today.
After qualifying for a grant from the foundation, she participated in a six-week program at Bellwood Health Services.
Today, Lyle said she feels like she has found her authentic self and now has a calmness around food with a whole new outlook on life.
As for Duffy’s daughter, she’s currently in university and is interning at a treatment centre, helping others who are in the place she once was.
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