June’s story of her epic battles with eating disorders is a touching, interesting and fascinating read. It’s hard to remember sometimes that you’re reading a memoir and not a work of fiction - how could one person go through so much for so long and live to tell the tale eloquently, beautifully and inspirationally?
June first suffered from anorexia aged 11 whilst growing up on her parents farm, trying desperately to live up to her mother’s expectations of her - trying to work hard and fulfil the role of ‘Tim’, the son her mother never had. June’s anorexia morphs into bulimia during her teenage years and she battles with it incessantly for decades.
This memoir often quotes June’s handwritten diaries directly and gives a real insight into her life and the many battles she fought both with her eating disorder and with her personal life. For many decades June fights and loses, being knocked down again and again by her bulimia but eventually her perseverance pays off and we hear how after the birth of her first grandchild, she finally finds the real June and begins the ultimate road to recovery.
Eating disorders are not an illness you can ever truly say goodbye to. Like an alcoholic, once recovered you must make a positive choice every day not to fall off the wagon. June’s story offers insight to sufferers both current and recovered - and their families - into what life with this disorder is like and also offers a beacon of hope. Even for those who are diagnosed ‘too late.’
Well done June. It must have been painful to write this but it is beautiful and inspiring.
-
A Girl Called Tim: Escape From an Eating Disorder Hell is currently available for Kindle
You can find out more about June Alexander on her website
