Media Advisory - McGill researcher points to genetics in understanding eating disorders: Scotiabank presents 11th Annual Sheena's Place Awareness Breakfast

TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2012 /CNW/ -  In marking the 11^th Annual Sheena's Place Awareness Breakfast, presented by Scotiabank, Dr. Howard Steiger, Director, Eating Disorders Program at the Douglas Institute will discuss genetics and epigenetics as a key to understanding the onset and progression of eating disorders. Lee Giles, Executive Director at Sheena's Place will announce the launch of a new pilot program at four Toronto post-secondary campuses which brings essential support closer to our city's student population. Students can sign up at their on-campus counseling centres at York, Ryerson, University of Toronto and Seneca.

What:	The 11^th Annual Sheena's Place Awareness Breakfast takes place during Eating Disorders Awareness Week to help build awareness of eating disorders and the services offered by Sheena's Place -Toronto's only community-based registered charity offering support groups and services related to eating disorders.
When:	Friday, February 10, 2012 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Where:	Royal York Hotel - Canadian Room 100 Front Street West, Toronto
Who:	Dr. Howard Steiger, (Keynote Speaker) -Chief & Researcher, Eating Disorders Program at the Douglas Institute and Professor, Department of Psychiatry at McGill University
	Lee Giles, Executive Director, Sheena's Place
	Rose Savage, Director, Strategic Support, Scotiabank
	Carrie Cox de los Santos, PhD candidate, teacher and former Sheena's Place client
Why:	The goal of this corporate breakfast, presented by Scotiabank, is to provide the audience with an opportunity for understanding eating disorders, to increase public awareness of these serious mental illnesses, as well as to raise funds for Sheena's Place's ongoing programs.
	Sheena's Place is a community-based registered charity that offers hope and support to individuals, families and friends affected by eating disorders by providing a wide range of professionally facilitated support groups and services. Sheena's Place is committed to inspiring hope, reducing stigma, raising awareness and offering meaningful help and information at all stages of recovery. Clients can access these free services within 72 hours of contact. Last year, over 1,100 clients attended groups and over 300 participated in individual information interviews. In response to the over 160,000 site specific visits to their website, Sheena's Place developed an eLearning module for parents coping with a young adult with an eating disorder.
	- Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses at 10%.
	- Anyone can develop an eating disorder regardless of age, race, gender or background; however according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, more than 85,000 Ontario women aged 15 to 25 suffer from anorexia or bulimia
	- Studies report both disorders in children as young as six years as well in adults as old as 75.

For further information and assistance for arranging interviews, please contact:

Deborah Clark, Scotiabank Media Communications, 416-933-0646,
d.clar[email protected]

OR

Kara Merpaw, Scotiabank Media Communications, 416-866-3792,
[e-mail]