‘I Actually Have a Chance to Live’: Woman with Severe Anorexia Raises Nearly $200,000 for Treatment

An actress with severe anorexia who made a public plea for help has raised nearly $200,000 for her treatment.

Rachael Farrokh, who weighs just “40-something pounds,” posted a video to YouTube, thanking people for their donations. “I actually have a chance to live,” a visibly touched Farrokh says in the video. “What you guys have done has been amazing.”

As Yahoo Health previously reported, the 37-year-old southern California resident first posted a video to YouTube in late April, detailing her 10-year battle with anorexia and asking for financial donations to help her get treatment.

Farrokh said in her original video that hospitals in her area have refused to treat her because her dangerously low weight makes her a “liability.” Her husband Rod Edmondson quit his job as a personal trainer to be her 24-hour caregiver, she said, and she’s currently unable to walk on her own.

“I’m not one to ever ask for help,” she said. “I need your help, otherwise I don’t have a shot. And I’m ready to get better.”

Related: Woman With Anorexia Makes Public Appeal To Help Save Her Life

Now Farrokh says the money raised on her GoFundMe page has paid for a “handpicked” medical team to treat her at home. Not only that, she says people who have shared her story have raised awareness about eating disorders, prompting other people to seek treatment.

“I want to let you know, not only have you saved my life, you’ve saved other people’s lives,” she says in the new video. “I want you to know that I’ve been contacted by people who’ve had eating disorders who have stopped their behaviors, whether it be bulimia or anorexia and sought help to seek treatment. They’re not giving up and I’m not either.”

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a significant eating disorder at some time in their lives, and many cases aren’t reported. The association also notes that, for women between the ages of 15 and 24, the mortality rate associated with anorexia is 12 times higher than the rate of all other causes of death.

While Farrokh’s weight is dangerously low, experts tell Yahoo Health that she can recover.

“It’s going to be a long recovery,” says Farrokh. “It could be three to five years. But with your support I know that I can do this.”

If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder and is ready to seek help, please contact the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders helpline at 630-577-1330.

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