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In memory of Lauren
Lauren Michelle Corena
Story
In Memory of Lauren Michelle Corena.
When I, Mario, her dad, think of the words on my daughter Lauren’s headstone, I can only reflect on what her life could have been and how much more there is to tell.
Lauren suffered a Mental Health Illness from an early age. As an adolescent she developed an eating disorder. She eventually took her own life at 26 years of age. This Fund Raising Page is dedicated to Lauren with the aim to raise funds to help other people suffering like her.
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In the beginning of 2004 I saw Lauren in hospital (WCH Adolescent Ward) suffering from Anorexia. She was 15 years old. I could barely recognise her. She was just over 30 kilograms and she looked like someone from developing country where food is scarce. Her bones were protruding through her skin and clothes.
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Unbeknown to me, this was not the first time she had suffered from an eating disorder. She told me she spent several sessions in the WCH Mental Health Boylan Ward in the past.
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At this point in time I had no knowledge or experience with eating disorders and I was initially at a loss to think of ways to help her. I turned to my own life experiences where I had to develop resilience and strategies to cope with difficult circumstances. My only focus at this time was to teach Lauren to overcome her fear/eating disorder and hopefully lead a normal life.
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As a single Dad I felt like I was walking on eggshells when I was with Lauren. I was so afraid that I would say something that would tip Lauren over the edge. Eventually, Lauren took her own life at the age of 26 through a life long battle with mental health.
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I spent countless evenings with Lauren in hospital and received regular emails during her battle with mental health/eating disorder issues.
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“Each day that goes by I’m becoming more petrified to wake up and face life,” Lauren said in one of her emails to me.
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“Life is absolutely terrifying at the moment; I just don’t want to see one more minute.”
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Lauren’s mental illness caused by her struggle to overcome the physical symptoms of her eating disorder.
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She also wrote to me saying “I can’t believe how hard this is. I’m in so much pain and agony and I am absolutely terrified of everything I’m faced with.”
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Needless to say, I was heartbroken. I tried my hardest to be sensitive to Lauren’s needs. I focused on listening and trying not to be too pushy in the hope that this was the best approach to enable Lauren to recover.
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I ensured Lauren was in a safe environment throughout her early teenage years. There were signs of improvement and Lauren began home schooling in Year 11 after missing all Year 10, due to her fear of being surrounded by people.
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Lauren’s self-esteem improved as she started to meet friends, had sleepovers and enjoyed birthday parties. I recall Lauren being “on top of the world” at her sixteenth birthday.
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Not long after, Lauren got a part time job and a driver’s licence.
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She then asked me about going back to school for Year 12 – another big step. Things were seemingly improving and Lauren was following the course of most teenagers.
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I was always very conscious of making sure I said the right thing and not coming across too pushy. Lauren had a boyfriend at this time and moved out of home just before her 19th birthday. This move made me nervous as I was worried that she would go downhill if things didn’t work out.
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The contact between us became less frequent after she moved out. “Should I push the issue or let her have her own life?” I pondered.
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Lauren successfully gained a double degree in psychology and things were seemingly progressing well in her life. Perhaps I didn’t have a need to worry so much?
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In 2013 Lauren tried to take her own life and she was admitted to hospital. I wondered could I have done more between 2013 and her fateful day two years later, 29th September 2015?
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Before her death, she had been diagnosed and was being treated for Borderline Personality Disorder. I believe that BPD and Anorexia are mental health issues that are related in some way. I’m not a clinician so I make this statement as a parent.
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If the correct early intervention had occurred before the eating disorder manifested itself, it could be possible that we wouldn’t be writing this story.
My heartache as a father of not knowing if I could have done more, if I could have done something sooner or if I failed, will inspire me to help others in my situation.
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I am now working with Flinders Foundation to make sure patients and families with eating disorders are supported through the illness as part of the Statewide Eating Disorder Service (SEDS) provided by SA Health.
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Unfortunately I can’t change what happened to Lauren, but hopefully we can provide intervention strategies at an early stage to prevent the disease developing further. We can also provide guidance and education for people who are around the person with an eating disorder – this is a real disease!
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If you saw Lauren, she was a happy person, she was always smiling in photos. Behind that smile she may have been planning her end for some time.
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Even if she was living today, we would need constant support around her, it’s an ongoing thing. The reality is that mental illness never goes away.
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Flinders Foundation is building a dedicated facility for the Statewide Eating Disorder Service to provide the support for patients and those around them to manage their mental illness.
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I urge you to help people like Lauren and parents like me by donating to Flinders Foundation Eating Disorder facility and special services we have incorporated in memory of Lauren.
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Thanks so much for your support!
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Flinders Foundation
At Flinders Foundation, our purpose is you.
We want you, our community, to live a longer and happier life.
That’s why every day, our team works to support the leading clinicians and researchers across Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University to deliver better research, treatment, and care, and ensure they are equipped with the latest technology, in the best environment. From cancer and mental health, to neonatal care, and everything in between – we’re working together to prevent, cure and care.
View our website for more information about Flinders Foundation.
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