My name is Ker-Yu Ong, I
am 18 years old and a recent high-school graduate from school in
the USA. I am back home in Singapore for my summer vacation and
have received a grant from my high school to pursue a community
awareness project.
My
proposed project is to create a book containing entries from the
people of Singapore that focuses on the prevalence of eating
disorders in this country. I hope to receive entries in any form
(letters, art work, collages, photographs, poetry, just to name a
few) from all who are interested -male, female, older, younger
-that reflect their thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. with
eating disorders. All entries will be anonymous, so hopefully this
project can also serve as kind of outlet for those individuals
whose suffering is still a secret.
I
am interested in this topic because I have personally suffered from
an eating disorder for the past three years, and my experience has
truly shaped the person that I am today. In February 2007, Channel
News Asia reported that the number of teenagers with eating disorder has
increased six-fold since 2002, and that the Singapore General
Hospital said 140 new cases are reported every year. Each time I
arrive home from abroad and catch up with friends, I hear about how
many new people have "turned" anorexic or bulimic. An eating
disorder, I believe, is a desperate cry for help, and it upsets me
how trivial this topic may appear.
The goal
of my project is to bring more attention to the prevalence of
eating disorders in Singapore, and hopefully to shed some light on
the underlying issues that are plague these our
community.
I
have attempted to contact schools to ask for their help in letting
students know about my project, but have unfortunately been denied
at every institution thus far. I hope to receive help your help. If
you are interested in sending me an entry, or know of any
interested individuals or groups, please have them contact me
at: 9636 7643.My home address, where all entries
should be submitted, is:
38
Bin Tong Park
Singapore 269819
Thank
you very much for taking the time to read this email, and please
contact me if you have any thoughts, ideas or questions. I
sincerely look forward to your help and support.
When did this become a e-mailing forum ?