A Miss Malta hopeful has opened up about how she was told anorexia would kill her within a year and why taking part in beauty pageants has given her the confidence to speak out about her eating disorder.
Edera Fenech, 22, who is representing Mosta in the contest, said she was diagnosed with anorexia just over a year ago, with a devastating prognosis that changed her attitude.
“I felt I had no choice but to recover,” she told Times of Malta.
“I was spending four to five hours at the gym and eating almost nothing – maybe a can of tuna, or nothing at all.”
The young woman described how she struggled to recover.
“Putting on weight was harder than I thought,” she admitted. “But now, I can call myself a warrior.”
In recent weeks Edera shared her progress on social media, saying she wanted to use her Miss Malta platform to help others.
She posted photos of herself when she was in hospital while heavily suffering from the disorder, which is characterised by an intense fear of gaining weight.
“I’m standing here to be an inspiration and the voice to help others with the same disorder since we need more awareness,” she said.
Her aim is to encourage others that it “is possible to feel better”.
The illness gives sufferers a distorted view of their own body image but Fenech believes taking part in beauty pageants has helped with her recovery.
Edera shared photographs showing her struggle with the disorder, including these images of her in hospital and her hair that fell out due to the illness.'A lot more than just looking beautiful'
“Pageantry empowered me. It gave me the courage to take up space and cement myself in society,” Edera said, adding that the most important thing pageants have taught her is to be a leader.
She is keen to break the negative stereotypes surrounding beauty pageants, such as Miss Malta, one of the oldest such contests in the country.
“It’s a lot more than just looking beautiful and parading the stage,” she said.
Fenech also wants to highlight the misconceptions surrounding anorexia, particularly the belief that it is solely a “woman’s illness” or an issue of vanity.
I’m standing here to be an inspiration and the voice to help others with the same disorder since we need more awareness- Edera Fenech
“It makes me feel disappointed and frustrated at the same time. Everyone can get this kind of disorder and it’s not a matter of attention but a matter of self-awareness,” she explained.
She urged anyone struggling with eating disorders to seek help as early as possible and encouraged people to reach out to Dar Kenn għal-Saħħtek, the Centre for the Treatment of Obesity and Eating Disorders.
Fenech remains grateful for the support she received from her family and her partner.
“If it wasn’t for them, I’d have never been able to get over it. I wouldn’t be here without them,” she said.