February 21, 2003

Contact:
Jennifer Meriam, Director (954) 262-5355
Mike Laderman, Associate Director, (954) 262-5354
Mara Kiffin, Coordinator, (954) 262-5350

Olympic Gold Medallist to Speak at NSU's Healthy Image Program During Eating Disorders Awareness Week

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL—Olympic gold medallist Tiffany Cohen, who won the 400 and 800 freestyle swimming competitions at the 1984 Olympic games, will be the guest speaker for Eating Disorders Awareness Week on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, Tuesday, February 25, 7:00-8:30 p.m., in the Rotunda of the Horvitz Administration Building.

Cohen, who was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame, suffered from Bulimia and gave up her college swimming career to battle her eating disorder. She is on the United States Swimming Eating Disorder Task Force, and is a consultant and spokesperson for the prevention of eating disorders. Additionally, she works with the The Willough at Naples, an eating disorder treatment facility. She is now fully recovered and speaks candidly about the obstacles she faced in conquering this silent and terrible disease.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW), February 23 - March 2, is recognized in thousands of schools and communities across the nation to draw public and media attention to disordered eating and body dissatisfaction. Often, those afflicted with an eating disorder (males and females) suffer in silence and face life-threatening consequences. Eating Disorders include Anorexia Nervosa (self-starvation), a disorder that deals with the intense fear of gaining weight with a refusal to eat, Bulimia Nervosa (binge-purge), which is characterized by episodes of bingeing and purging and Binge Eating Disorder (Compulsive Overeating), which is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full.

Cohen replaces Wilhelmina model Valerie Lefkowitz who was originally scheduled to speak, but who is now unable to attend.

The event, which is sponsored by NSU's Office of Recreation and Wellness, is free and open to the public. For more information about the event, please call (954) 262-7042. For more information about Eating Disorders, call 1-800-931-2237 or visit www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.