‘Someday Melissa, the Story of an Eating Disorder, Loss and Hope’ to be Screened at Rutgers University March 5

 WHO:  Judy Avrin, co-executive producer of the film, will introduce the one-hour documentary. Avrin, Melissa’s mother, will be a featured panelist for the Q&A portion of the program. Other panelists include: John Worobey, professor, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; Shireen Rizvi, assistant professor, Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology; and Patricia Woodin-Weaver, staff psychologist, Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistant Program & Psychiatric Services (CAPS), part of Rutgers Health Services.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 5, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  The event is free and open to the public.

WHERE: Scholarly Communication Center, 4th floor, Alexander Library, 169 College Ave. New Brunswick, N.J.

BACKGROUND: Someday Melissa, the story of an eating disorder,loss and hope, chronicles the life of 19- year-old Melissa Avrin.  Following her death, her mother read Melissa’s journal where she wrote about her "Somedays" – the things that she hoped to accomplish, the places she wanted to travel, who she wanted to be – someday - when she was healthy.  Inspired by her journal and her poem “Someday…”, Avrin created and produced the documentary with Danna Markson, LCSW, an eating disorder specialist, and director Jeffrey Cobelli. Avrin, a member of the first co-ed class of Rutgers College,  holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University.

Avrin told her daughter’s story to help break through the wall of secrecy and shame surrounding eating disorders and to help others who face similar struggles. More than 24 million Americans battle with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder. Someday Melissa has been screened across the country, and the DVD purchased in nearly 20 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, England, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore. In 2010 Avrin founded Someday Melissa, Inc, a nonprofit organization, with a mission to promote recognition and awareness of eating disorders and the importance of early treatment. The sponsors of this event are Rutgers University Libraries, The Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, the Rutgers School of Social Work, the Rutgers-New Brunswick Counseling, ADAP, and Psychiatric Services Center and the Rutgers student chapter, New Jersey Public Health Association.

For information on Someday Melissa visit www.somedaymelissa.org.  For more information on the program, directions to the campus or assistance with parking, please contact libraries communications director Harry Glazer at hglazer@rulmail.rutgers.edu or 848-932-5992.