Becky Streetman Center Helping North Alabamians Navigate Eating Disorders Through Nutrition
New resource made possible by generous donations in memory of Becky Streetman
Huntsville-native Anne Lanier suffered an unimaginable loss in 2004 when her daughter, Becky, died at the age of 29 due to medical complications from anorexia. Since that time, Anne has made it her life mission to equip other families with the resources they need to help a loved one with an eating disorder. Those personal experiences fueled her to create something that is changing – and potentially saving – lives right here in North Alabama.
Huntsville Hospital Foundation announced today that generous donations from Anne Lanier and the Lanier Family Foundation has funded the creation of the Becky Streetman Center for the Treatment of Eating Disorders through Nutrition Intervention.
The Becky Streetman Center provides nutrition evaluation, counseling and hands-on coaching to support children, teens and adults struggling with eating disorders. The program helps both patients and their families gain a better understanding of the eating disorder and develop a plan to achieve and maintain healthy eating habits. Registered Dietitians Linda Steakley and Anna Key meet with patients in a private, comfortable setting at the Huntsville Hospital Wellness Center on Governor's Drive.
“Our goal is to not only help patients to a healthy weight, but to help them understand how their eating disorder causes nutrition and physical issues,” said Linda Steakley, MS RDN LD. “We work together to practice meal planning and preparation, establish regular eating patterns, and provide support for both the patient and their families.”
“Family education is crucial. Becky would go through treatment and be better but once she was home, I hadn’t changed, her sisters hadn’t changed, her friends hadn’t changed,” said Lanier. “Simply telling her she looked great, would send her right back into starvation mode. The goal of the Becky Streetman Center is to equip a patient’s entire family with the education and resources they need to help their loved one overcome their eating disorder. Only then can they take productive steps toward healing and recovery.”
Contact the Becky Streetman Center at (256) 265-7100 if you or someone you know might need help with an eating disorder.
To support this important work, you can donate to the Becky Streetman Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation at huntsvillehospitalfoundation.org/donate. Your gift will enable the Center to help more patients by providing patient scholarships to those unable to afford the Center’s services through private insurance.
About Huntsville Hospital Foundation
Huntsville Hospital Foundation exists to provide lifesaving technology and meaningful programs that improve patient lives. The Foundation raises essential funding for not-for-profit Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, and Madison Hospital through individual and corporate donations, providing more than $4 million in funding for hospital needs each year. For more information, visit huntsvillehospitalfoundation.org.