Local girl wins essay prize
An emotive essay, about the issues facing people suffering from eating disorders, has earned an Esher teenager top prize in a literary competition organised by the Priory Group.
The Priory Ryan McKay prize is awarded each year to the young person who submits the best non-fiction composition on a set topic related to mental and physical health. The subject for 2008 entries was 'a healthy mind in a healthy body' and judges deemed that 17-year old Lady Eleanor Holles school student Amber Husain's entry was worthy of the £1,000 top prize.
Ryan McKay was successfully treated at the Priory Hospital Glasgow for an eating disorder but tragically died in a car accident in August 2007. His parents, who live in Buckie a small town between Aberdeen and Inverness, decided to honour his memory by working with the Priory Group to raise awareness of positive mental and physical health among young people, who are most at risk of eating disorders.
Amber wrote eloquently on the subject of 'a health mind in a healthy body', describing the dependency of one on the other.
Matthew Franzidis, chief operating officer of The Priory Group said: "Amber's essay really touched everybody involved in the competition. She articulated her views about the pressures faced by young people and how she was personally affected extremely well and is a worthy winner of the Priory Ryan McKay prize."
Robert McKay, Ryan's father said: "We wanted to find an appropriate and fitting way to use Ryan's memory to help other young people who may be suffering with an eating disorder in the same way Ryan did.
"The help and treatment Ryan received at the Priory hospital was invaluable to us as a family and we are pleased to work with them in this way to highlight the problems that can be faced by young people, particularly in relation to eating disorders. Amber wrote eloquently and passionately and she is committed to helping others to tackle their issues and we were extremely pleased to meet her and delighted that she won the prize."
Amber, who is studying Biology, Maths, Latin and Greek at A level said: "It was really good to meet Ryan's parents. What they are doing by trying to raise awareness of this issue is a truly valuable thing and I am proud to have been involved with it."
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