How a family navigates healing together with support from Bear Essentials
Disclaimer: The names in this story have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.
When Heather’s daughter June was first admitted to BC Children’s Hospital in September 2023 for an eating disorder, the stay lasted less than a week. “She wasn’t ready,” Heather recalls. It was the beginning of a long journey—one that has reshaped the entire family’s life.
June, now nearly 17, lives with an eating disorder and generalized anxiety, and has a history of substance use. She was readmitted to the hospital in March 2024 to begin a 12-week treatment program for youth eating disorders in Vancouver.
The weight of June’s illness didn’t fall on her shoulders alone. It upended the entire household. Heather, a dedicated teacher and mother of two living in Victoria, had to step away from her work completely to care for June full time. June needed meal monitoring and someone home for her safety. The family went from two incomes to one—and then, tragically, Heather’s husband passed away several months into June’s treatment.
Financial strain quickly followed. The family was grateful to stay at Ronald McDonald House while in Vancouver, but June’s eating disorder often made it impossible for her to eat the food available. “Being down an income, the support from Bear Essentials for gas, travel, groceries… it made a big difference. And n ot only the financial support, but the emotional support—knowing that there was an organization there to help us—that also meant a lot.”
Today, June’s health is improving. She’s eating regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and returning slowly to school with hopes of becoming a nurse one day. “She still doesn’t always feed herself on her own, but if I call her and say, ‘Have you eaten?’ she will,” Heather says. “That’s a little victory.”
When asked what other parents should know, Heather doesn’t hesitate: “The most important aspect of being a parent of a child struggling with mental health is being a strong advocate and fiercely fighting for your child.”
Families like Heather’s don’t just face a medical crisis—they endure emotional, financial, and relational upheaval—and it’s the generosity of our donor community that supports them through it. “We need your help,” Heather says. “It makes a big difference.”
