Chloe Marshall, first runner-up in the 2008 Miss England contest, was crowned Miss Teen UK in December, 2008.
Chloe was the first ever plus-sized finalist vying for the title of Miss England. Seventeen years old, 176 pounds, and 5′ 10″ tall, she’s a UK Size 16.
“I’m showing girls curvy is beautiful and this is what I am. Love me or hate me at the end of the day.”
"Everybody thinks you have to be a tall, slim blonde and I'm a curvy brunette. "I want to show it is possible to be beautiful and not a standard size zero."
"The reaction I've had is great. Other girls have told me I have really boosted their confidence, which is terrific."
"I wanted to make a bit of a statement. When I studied the other entrants for the Miss Surrey competition I concluded that pretty as the contestants were, they were equally all uniformly blonde and Barbie doll like."
Chloe has never succumbed to peer pressure. "I didn’t give my figure a thought until my first day of secondary school, when I realised I was bigger than many other children. Someone called me ‘fat’. I was stunned by the nastiness of it."
"Children can be cruel so for a while the nicknames followed me. I got called ‘Fatty’ and it hurt. Mum told me, ‘You’re beautiful whatever size you are and never feel ashamed.’ "
Chloe has been signed up by Stevie Walters of the Models Plus agency. "She is gorgeous and has a luscious figure. We are sure she will be snapped up by fashion companies who want to project a realistic and achievable image to their customers," says Walters.
With the startling rise of eating disorders; the increasing deaths of emaciated, anorexic models; and younger and younger children dieting, it's so wonderful and encouraging to see a young woman have such an incredibly strong sense of self.
The ins and outs of PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) and NG (nasogastric) feeding tubes...
So, what are NG and PEG feeding tubes?
They are medical devices used to provide nutrition to those who cannot obtain nutrition by swallowing. Feeding tubes are often a last resort for chronic anorexics.
An NG tube is passed through the nose, down the esophagus and into the stomach, and a PEG tube is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen into the stomach.
This video shows the NG insertion technique:
PEG tube insertion has a high risk of serious complications. Placement of PEG tubes requires an invasive surgical procedure, and is usually done by a surgeon and a gastroenterologist working together.
"An endoscope (a long, thin fiberoptic tube with a tiny video camera on its end) is inserted through the mouth and down the esophagus into the stomach. The endoscopic camera is used to produce pictures of the inside of the stomach on a video monitor so that the proper spot for insertion of the PEG feeding tube can be located.
The surgeon inserts a needle into the stomach at the spot where the PEG tube will be located. Using the endoscope, the gastroenterologist locates the end of the needle inside the body, and encircles it with a wire snare. A thin wire is then passed from the outside of the body, through this needle and into the abdomen. This wire is then grasped with the snare and pulled out through the mouth. Now, there is a thin wire entering the front of the abdomen into the stomach and continuing upward and out the mouth. The PEG feeding tube is attached to this wire outside of the mouth. The surgeon then pulls the wire back out from the abdomen, which pulls the PEG down into the body through the mouth and esophagus. The tube is pulled until the tip of the PEG comes out of the incision in the stomach. There is a soft, round "bumper" attached to the portion of the PEG that remains inside the body, this bumper secures the tube on the inside of the body. The outer portion of the tube is secured with a bumper as well. Sterile gauze is placed around the incision site and the PEG tube is secured to your abdomen with tape."
Feeding tube system
While the operative procedure is usually safe, there can be serious complications:
(1) migration of the tube out of the stomach
(2) necrotizing fasciitis (“flesh eating disease”). Mortality rates for those with necrotizing fasciitis are as high as 73 percent
Necrotizing fasciitis of the abdomen
(3) fluid overload which causes an increase in weight, swelling in the legs and arms, and/or fluid in the abdomen, and breathing difficulties
(4) aspiration pneumonia (caused by inhaling food, liquids, vomit, or secretions from the mout) into the lungs, which can lead to an inflammatory reaction, a lung infection (pneumonia), or a collection of pus in the lungs (lung abscess)
(5) peritonitis, an inflammation of the thin membrane lining, called the peritoneum, that covers the intestinal tract and surrounds the organs in the stomach
(6) abdominal abscess, an infected pocket of fluid and pus located inside the abdominal cavity
Abdominal abscess
(7) bowel obstructions, which prevent the normal transit of the products of digestion. A bowel obstruction is a medical emergency
(8) gastric perforation, a complete penetration of the wall of the stomach, small intestine or large bowel, resulting in intestinal contents flowing into the abdominal cavity
(9) Gastrointestinal bleeding, which is any bleeding that starts in the gastrointestinal tract, which extends from the mouth to the large bowel. GI bleeding can be life threatening
(10) pain at the tube site
(11) tube malfunction
(12) stenosis of the opening (abnormal narrowing)
(13) local bleeding
(14) skin excoriation (traumatized or abraded skin caused by rubbing)
(15) wound dehiscence (the premature "bursting" open of a wound)
(16) cellulitis (diffuse infection of connective tissue with severe inflammation of dermal and subcutaneous layers of the skin)
Abdominal cellulitis
(17) gastroesophageal reflux, which occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens spontaneously, or does not close properly and stomach contents rise up into the esophagus
(18) diarrhea, and
(19) nausea
Feeding tubes do not come without the possibility of serious medical problems. If you are anorexic and presently on a feeding tube, please notify your doctor if you are feeling any discomfort whatsoever. It could save your life.
Subconjunctival hemorrhage of the eye from the strain of purging
This is what purging does to your body...
Tooth cavities, diseased gums, and irreversible enamel erosion caused by excessive acid in the mouth from purging...
Hemorrhoids caused by weakened rectal walls from the strain of purging...
Acute pancreatitis...
Prolapsed bowel as a result of rectal walls being weakened by the strain of purging...
Swollen salivary glands...
Peptic ulcer caused by excess acid in the stomach...
Gastric rupture (ruptured stomach) caused by periods of bingeing...
Esophagitis from purging...
Tear in the esophagus from purging...
Rupture of the esophagus...
Small cuts across the back of the hand due to self-induced vomiting...
Water retention, swelling, and abdominal bloating...
Inflammation of the throat from purging...
And finally, death...
"She was 19 and had anorexia and bulimia for 5 years. Died at 5' 1" (155cm) and 94 lbs (43kg) after her stomach ripped after eating 5.6 liters (pic of stomach contents) of food."
Click below to read the coroner's report on the tragic death of this young girl...
I have been contacted by a well-known and respected British journalist who is interested in interviewing...
1. Two sisters with anorexia nervosa; 2. A brother and sister with eating disorders; and/or 3. A mother and daughter and/or mother and son with eating disorders.
This call-out is open to either current sufferers of eating disorders, those in recovery, or those who have recovered.
Kindly e-mail your contact information to me, as well as a brief description of your story, at gorgon@2medusa.com and I will forward it on to the journalist. Please note that you will have to send pictures to the journalist, who will interview you on the phone. If your story is used, you will receive a generous fee.
The journalist writes for many women's magazines in the UK and is a member of the National Union of Journalists. I have worked with this journalist in the past and can confirm that your story will be treated with the sensitivity it deserves.
Thank you in advance for your assistance in helping to educate others.
This site deals with the stark reality and deadly consequences of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and other eating disorders, pro ana, self-harm/injury, suicide, and depression
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep...not screaming, like the passengers in his car......(from "Deep Thoughts" by Jack Handey)
Chloe Marshall
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