The seventeenth annual Erin Leah Robarge Memorial Conference on Eating Disorders was held at the Radisson Hotel in Corning on December 2nd. The conference, sponsored by the Nutrition Clinic and Solstone Partial Hospitalization program in Elmira, has been held every year since our daughter Erin’s death from anorexia in 2000. Over 100 mental health and medical practitioners, as well as family members and patients, were on hand to learn about groundbreaking research in the field of eating disorder treatment.
Dr. Laura Hill, a clinical psychologist who has specialized in eating disorders and related issues for over 30 years, provided the morning session. As in her past two keynote presentations, she was highly engaging and interactive as she explained the neurologically-based treatment for anorexia that, in collaboration with Dr. Walter Kay, she has been instrumental in developing and practicing at her treatment center in Columbus, Ohio.
In the afternoon April Winslow, a Psychiatric Registered Dietician, offered a lively and informative explanation of how food is medicine, and how the digestion, assimilation, and integration of various foods affects the brain. She described the neurological effects that originate with the digestive system, and the implications of this relationship on understanding and treating eating disorders.
Once again, the conference exceeded attendees’ expectations. Several individuals sought me out to say that they found the day more rewarding and valuable than national eating disorder conferences they have attended. With grateful hearts and inspired minds, we look forward to another stimulating and enlightening day next December.
