Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA) is proud to launch our Life Membership program.
The highest acknowledgement EDFA can bestow is Life Membership, which recognises that person’s significant contribution to EDFA and the eating disorder sector in Australia.
Any member who has been a member of Eating Disorders Families Australia for a minimum of five years may be eligible for life membership. This service does not need to be continuous.
Life members of Eating Disorders Families Australia shall be entitled to the following benefits:
a) Exemption from annual membership fees.
b) Access to Eating Disorders Families Australia’s member-only area including webinars and resources.
c) Recognition of their contribution on the Eating Disorders Families Australia website.
d) Life Members have the same rights and obligations as members under the Constitution.
Members who have been awarded life long membership of EDFA:
Christine Naismith
Christine was a founding Board member of Eating Disorder Families Australia (EDFA) from 2016 until her retirement from the Board in September 2022.
Christine was part of the team that set up the initial parent support group in Flemington, Melbourne, that formed the genesis of EDFA’s National strive carer support groups. This monthly group met a huge unmet need and these face-to-face support groups attracted carers from all over Melbourne and country Victoria.
In the early days, this support group helped reduce the isolation and loneliness felt, by providing much needed connection with others who understood, as well as being a source of knowledge, information and lived experience to carers on how to navigate the health system and supporting a person living with an eating disorder. It also advocated for the importance of the carer to be included as part of the treatment team.
We all know the contribution that Christine has made to the EDFA Board and to EDFA families over a long period of time, advocating in the community and with state and federal politicians and health providers, driving growth of the strive support groups around Australia, increasing the profile of EDFA, as a major contributor to the growth of our Facebook forum and providing support and kindness to many carers.
EDFA warmly welcomes Christine, as a life member of Eating Disorders Families Australia, for her valuable contribution that has benefited many carers Australia wide
Don Irvine
Don was a founding Board member of EDFA from 2016 until his retirement from the Board in April 2019. Don is based in Perth, Western Australia.
Don has also been a significant contributor outside of the Board role, primarily through the TBT-S Committee and as the main sponsor bringing the TBT-S clinicians to Australia and collaborating with them over a long period of time to promote this as a treatment option in Australia. On two occasions he has personally underwritten some of the financial risk of these initiatives.
Don has also been busy advocating for treatment options that include carers at the centre of the support team for a long period of time, including in his home state of Western Australia. His advocacy has included lobbying politicians both state and commonwealth and lobbying health providers, particularly in his home state of Western Australia.
EDFA warmly welcomes Don, as a life member of Eating Disorder Families Australia, for his valuable contribution that has benefited many carers during his time, with an Australia wide program expansion now reaching carers nationwide.
Gordon Brockway
Gordon was a founding Board member of EDFA from 2016 until his retirement from the Board in November 2020. Gordon is Perth based and was Chair of EDFA from the foundation of EDFA in 2016 to mid 2019.
On reflection Gordon sees his greatest contribution to EDFA as the opportunity to guide the early Boards through the strategic thinking and planning work that laid the basis for the initiatives that successive Boards and other volunteers have delivered and continue to deliver today.
Outside of the Board role Gordon has contributed through the Temperament Based Therapy with Supports (TBT-S) Committee, bringing training in TBT-S to Australian clinicians and carers and over a number of years, making TBT-S now a treatment option in 5 of our states.
Since 2016, Gordon has actively advocated for treatment options that include carers at the centre of the support team, including in his home state of Western Australia.
Gordon has has served on a number of committees in Western Australia and elsewhere to improve the treatments people with eating disorders and their carers experience.
EDFA warmly welcomes Gordon, as a life member of Eating Disorder Families Australia, for his valuable contribution that has benefited many carers, with an Australia wide program now reaching carers nationwide.
Violeta Bozinovski
Violeta was a founding Board member of EDFA from 2016 until her retirement from the Board in December 2021. Along with the original Board, Violeta contributed to the constitution and founding vision, mission and values of the organisation.
Her passion was the instigator and driving force behind many of the activities and events that has enabled EDFA to be where it is today.
Violeta was part of the team that set up the initial parent support group in Flemington, Melbourne, that was the genesis of EDFA’s national strive carer support groups. These sessions met a huge unmet need to carers from all over Melbourne and country Victoria. Violeta was instrumental in securing EDFA’s first Federal Government grant, which funded the national expansion and management of the carer support group program.
With Christine, Violeta instigated and organised the first large EDFA fund raiser – the Pass the Baton Gala Ball in 2018. The much needed $90,000 raised at this event assisted EDFA to get up and running. Prior to that date, EDFA had little to no money.
Apart from performing many back-office administration tasks, Violeta also ensured that EDFA created and grew an effective online digital presence by managing and performing the hands-on technical IT work and also established the clinical research committee.
Violeta had enormous drive and passion for EDFA and supporting carers, which has had a positive impact on establishing and growing the organisation.
EDFA warmly welcomes Violeta, as a life member of Eating Disorder Families Australia, for her valuable contribution that has benefited many carers nationally.
To apply for lifelong membership and to request a copy of the lifelong membership policy, please email admin@edfa.org.au.
