Our Mission
MARY CAMERON ROBINSON (CAMMY) • 1979 – 2005
On September 2, 2005 we received a phone call saying in essence, our daughter Cammy ‘s heart was not beating, and she was on her way to Erlanger hospital by way of ambulance. While we huddled with close friends and family in prayer, we were given the devastating news that she was gone.
How does something like this happen to a vibrant 26 year old young woman? How do you reconcile just two days prior taking a long walk with someone who expressed her dreams for the future who appeared healthy and happy. Well, I can only state that eating disorders are deadly.
She suffered from all three of the eating disorders (defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders #4). She had binge eating disorder in high school, where she ate in excess in private. During her freshmen year in college she turned to bulimia to rid herself of her excess high school weight. She could eat large amounts of food and then purge by way of vomiting. She was also pairing her bulimia with anorexia which can often be the case. This behavior took its toll when in her junior year of college she went into cardiac arrest, and we almost lost her for the first time. We learned when you purge you rid yourself of essential electrolytes that control the beating of the heart and thus causing it to shut down.
We sent her for treatment to Arizona to save her life, and to hopefully help her overcome her E.D. When she left after almost three months we thought she had it beaten. Unfortunately, there were additional life threatening instances that followed. Eating Disorders seemed to control her in such a way that nothing seemed to help. After many years of therapy and finding the true love of her life we thought she was finally on the road to recovery. This proved not to be the case. We are not sure to this day what exactly caused her final cardiac failure, but for sure it was a result of her eating disorders.
To honor her memory Ashley Yates (her closest friend) and I founded the Mary Cameron Robinson (MCR) Foundation for the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. It would have been so helpful to me had there been a source like this when Cammy was struggling. There is so much to learn about this disease and the earlier it is treated the better the chance of survival. Denying it will not cause it to go away. We must educate ourselves to be aware of the behaviors and to intervene as soon as possible. This is absolutely crucial. Cammy would be so proud to know her death was not in vain and she lives on with this foundation.
The MCR Foundation is committed to supporting our local community in raising awareness about preventing eating disorders as well as promoting positive body image and positive self esteem. The Foundation offers educational resources and presentations to elementary, middle, and high school for the Chattanooga Tri-State area. We are also called upon by local physician’s offices, Hamilton County School Nursing Programs, and other private school sectors to offer expertise in finding treatment and support for families suffering from an eating disorder or dealing with body image issues.
MCR’S Mission Statement
The mission of the MCR Foundation is to provide resources for people who are affected by eating disorders in the Greater Chattanooga Tri-State area. The Foundation is committed to a holistic approach encompassing physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well being.
MCR will do this by:
· Providing education and multi-media resources
· Promoting awareness and developing prevention strategies
· Providing support systems
· Conducting research for community needs
· Promoting a healthy lifestyle and a appropriate self image
· Serve as a resource for referrals for counseling and treatment
MCR’S Vision
The MCR Foundation will be a comprehensive non-profit center in the Chattanooga Tri-State area for education concerning prevention early diagnosis and treatment of individuals and families affected by eating disorders, focusing on healing the mind, body, and spirit.
Throughout the last seventeen years The MCR Foundation has served the Tri-State and North Georgia area in various ways including:
· Providing educational materials for area physicians, school counselors, therapists, and families, free of charge, that highlight eating disorders, what they are, how to recognize them, and how to get help if someone you know is suffering.
· Educating elementary, middle, and high school students through positive body image curriculum and presentations, all at no cost to the schools.
· Partnering with The National Center for Youth Issues and the award-winning author Julia Cook to publish the children’s book, “How to be Comfortable in Your Own Feathers.”, a children’s book that highlights the importance of healthy nutrition along with being yourself.
· Providing an onsite resource library for the community to access informational material on eating disorders, body, image, and positive self -esteem.
· Referral source and family support for navigating the appropriate treatment, by referring appropriate therapists, physicians, treatment centers, and nutritionist in the area.
· Partnering with international photographer and multi-platform storyteller, Laia Abril to create the photo book, The Epilogue, which chronicles Cammy’s life and the problems families face in dealing with guilt and the grieving process and the loss of a loved one
· Hosting events such as the annual Mommy, Doll, and Me for Tea focused on raising healthy daughters from the inside out, as well as the Annual 5K Run/Walk for Cammy’s Cause, the annual Bowties and Blossoms Event, and Cocktails & Questions Community Forum Events, to promote and raise awareness for eating disorders in our community.
· Housing an Executive Director who is also a licensed professional counselor and mental health provider.
All proceeds from MCR Foundation fundraising events directly support the above, in order for the foundation to be able to provide all resources and services free of charge to the community.
MCR Board of Directors
Jan Robinson
Chairman
Emily Poe Collier, LPC-MHSP
Executive Director
Sarah Gibson
Secretary
Christie Dillard
Treasurer
MCR Foundation Board of Trustees
Christie Burbank
William Kline
Ashley Nichols
Pam Kelle - Emeritus
Karla Woods
Lowndes Robinson
Sondra Wilson
Stuart Gaines
Erin Rayburn
Cathy Pettway
Chris Trainor
1400 McCallie Ave, Suite 210
Chattanooga, TN 37404
423-622-2666
MCR Offices
Emily Poe Collier, LPC-MHSP
Executive Director
423-622-2666 Office
423-314-5599 Cell
Dana Rutledge
Program Assistant
Resource Room and Office Hours —
by appointment only