Treatment Facility Leads the Nation

Mark Forbes at the Mooloolah retreat. Soon, sufferers all over the country will benefit from endED and Butterfly’s vision.

A very personal family battle with eating disorders was the catalyst for Mark Forbes and his wife Gay to establish their organisation endED (end Eating Disorders), and leading edge residential treatment facility, endED Butterfly House, in Mooloolah Valley.

“endED was born five and a half years ago, after we had been  through a heartbreaking struggle with our two daughters who both suffered with eating disorders,” Mark said. “At the time, we met so many parents in a similar boat that we opened up our home every second Wednesday night to support families who were going through the same situation. What we all found was that the current healthcare system was letting sufferers, parents and carers down in a big way.”

“There was (and still is), a tendency to lump a whole range of mental health issues together, instead of recognising the particular characteristics and challenges that come with eating disorders.

“So there remains a great deal of misunderstanding of both the diseases and the sufferers and I think the ongoing stigma around eating disorders is the result.”

Mark and Gay eventually looked to the US for answers because the approach taken there is far more specialised, and residential facilities have been established specifically to treat and support sufferers.  

“One of our lived experience recovery coaches, Millie Thomas, travelled to the States and visited a number of residential treatment facilities where far better results were witnessed,” Mark said. “Upon Millie’s return to Australia we sat down with our architects (Blackburn Jackson) critiqued the residential design and set out to find a property that could be upgraded to accommodate a similar treatment model.

“I think I looked at about a dozen properties around the Coast and none of them were suitable,” Mark said. “Then I found our current property in Mooloolah Valley and I was only halfway down the driveway when I knew it was right for us. I hadn’t even seen the house, but the feel of the place was so peaceful and healing, I knew it was where we were meant to be.”

So Mark approached the owner and made an offer with provision for a 6 month settlement period. “The owner accepted on the condition that it was an unconditional contract,” said Mark. “The slight problem was that I had no money to buy the property. 

All I had was an unwavering conviction that it was meant to be and that I would raise the funds somehow. 

“I am a great believer in the way the Universe provides.”

And provide it did.

Mark started knocking on doors and contacting local MPs about accessing funding for the project. “I contacted Andrew Wallace who has become our patron and one of our greatest supporters as he personally knows the pain of coping with children with eating disorders,” said Mark. I was invited to a networking breakfast by Mayor Mark Jameison who introduced me to long time Maroochydore business people, Roy and Nola Thompson. “As it turns out, Roy and Nola had also been through the terrible family trauma related to an eating disorder,” said Mark. 

“The breakfast took place on a Thursday morning, and at the end of it, Roy invited me to their home the following Monday, because they wanted to support what I was doing. When I arrived at their home, Roy took an endED business card, turned to Nola and said “Nola, we just bought this guy’s business card for $1 million”. 

He handed me a cheque for $1 million and within two days, the property was settled. I was absolutely blown away. He had not even seen the property, or the contract.

Andrew Wallace and Jason O’Pray proceeded to put Mark in front of every politician they could in order to secure the funding to develop and run the treatment facility. 

“I travelled to Canberra and met Malcolm Turnbull, Greg Hunt, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison,” said Mark. “The Federal Government promised $2 million to allow construction to go ahead and 4 million to help run the facility over its first four years. 

“With this funding not only could the building be finished, but endED and the Butterfly Foundation could make treatment available for vulnerable families who do not have the means to cover the full cost,” he said. “As well, 40 incredible local companies stepped up to support us, which is just phenomenal and it will help change the lives of so many sufferers and their families.”

endED now employs three experienced recovery coaches and has attracted art, yoga, pottery and dance teachers who contribute their time to participants on a voluntary basis. “We are in the process of employing more recovery coaches as we find that ongoing connection brings sufferers out of the terrible isolation they experience,” Mark said. 

“endED is now participating in an international genetic study into eating disorders and some of the findings are not only fascinating, but will help change the way eating disorders are treated. This will also alleviate the generalised guilt, shame and suffering that entire families of sufferers experience, because it turns out, eating disorders are genetic.”

“As the organisation is able to assist more sufferers and their families, and as we learn more about the genetic/ hereditary nature of eating disorders, we can actually offer families hope,” said Mark.

Inspired by endED Butterfly House’s example, the Federal Government is now investing another $64 million to set up a specialist residential treatment facility for eating disorders in every State in Australia. Soon, sufferers all over the country will benefit from endED and Butterfly’s vision.

Right now, Mark is working tirelessly to establish continuing support for the recovery coaching programme via the ‘150 Club’. “Basically, what we are doing is approaching local businesses or individuals to become members of the 150 Club, which helps fund our lived experience recovery coaches,” Mark said. “The membership is $150 per month and this contributes to the employment expenses of each coach. What we have seen is that this ongoing support for ED sufferers gives them hope that they can learn to manage their disorder. You cannot underestimate the power of hope,” he said. 

“With the recent months of COVID related lockdown, isolation and social distancing, there has been a dramatic, heartbreaking upswing in eating disorders. The kind of connection that is provided by a recovery coach is going to be even more important than ever before. ”

•If you or your business would like to learn more, or become members of the 150 Club, go to https://www.ended.org.au/