A WRITER recovering from the trauma of anorexia was spurred on to complete an inspirational book about the illness during a trip to Bury.
Anna Paterson (32) wrote an account about her hellish years suffering from anorexia nervosa, triggered by years of abuse, which some sufferers have credited with saving their lives.
Anna's story, due to be featured in a BBC2 documentary in April, ended happily when she built up an e-mail relationship with boyfriend Simon, a 30-year-old recluse, who gave her the will to eat.
But tormented by the difficulties of recounting her nightmares, Anna came close to abandoning her book, Anorexic, while visiting relatives in Bury.
It was only when she saw a girl suffering from the illness in the town centre that Anna realised her story needed to be told. She said: "I was wondering whether or not I would continue because it was so painful re-experiencing my childhood through memories."
"Then I saw an anorexic girl in the town centre while Simon and I were out shopping and I instantly decided that however tough it was to write, I would continue in the hope that it would help just one person."
Through past experience, Anna had no difficulty recognising the girl's symptoms.
She explained: "There is a very distinctive look to anorexics and I can recognise one very very easily because of my inside knowledge and having spent so much time in anorexic clinics."
Anna wrote a large chunk of the book during the couple's stay in Bury, where she has relatives. The town holds strong memories for the couple, who are living between parents homes in London and Cornwall, and they have frequently revisited Bury over the past 18 months.
Since her book was published Anna has received waves of e-mails from anorexic young girls, making her grateful that she continued her effort.
"Many people have said that their lives have changed totally because they read the book. Five people already credit me with saving their life, which is amazing."
Anorexic is published in paperback by Westworld International, priced £6.99. Help and information on anorexia is available on the website www.anorexicanna.com
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