Fran Siederer Bio

I’m a sixty something year-old wife of my wonderful husband Marty (34 yrs.), a calligrapher for over 30 years, and mother of three wonderful children – Dave (32), Emily (26) and Ariel (22).

My story is about our second child Emily. My pregnancy and her birth and the months and years of struggle that followed have all been worth every minute of our time, love, effort and positive attitudes. She has grown into an amazing young woman. I mean to speak of the journey we have been on for these 26+ years, especially the pregnancy that I chose to continue with, even though my doctor was not very encouraging.

Love, the support of so many people around the world, positive attitudes, and real efforts to get through, and also help Emily through, difficult times have strengthened both our marriage and our belief in the power of love.

We have been fortunate to have a huge support system – loving family, wonderful friends, and even strangers who heard of our trials during my pregnancy and Emily’s years since. The journey continues.

Emily Siederer Bio

When I was born at 25 weeks, and a very low birth weight, the doctors said I wouldn’t live.

When I did, they said I wouldn’t function properly. I challenged them. They also said I wouldn’t walk. I didn’t walk, I danced.

At age 2 I began ballet, got along with people very easily, did well in dance class. Then reality hit. The “nice girl” was too nice, too much of a pushover.

At age 10 I began puberty, I gained weight and was shunned by all my peers. My friends didn’t want to play with me anymore, shows you how cruel children can be.

I then began to take on different “characters”. At age 12 I was a cheerleader, at age 14 I was a Wiccan, at age 16 I was an anorexic, at 17 I was a bulimic, by age 18 all I was, was an eating disorder. It had taken over, kept me stuck at age 16.

By age 18 (which I don’t even remember most of) I was bingeing, purging, restricting, over-exercising, blacking out when I stood up, and I wasn’t even underweight.

At age 19, I went for help, I went to outpatient treatment. I encouraged others in group therapy. I completed all my meals, but I was not filling out my food journal for my nutritionist. Consequently I was kicked out.

I stayed with my therapist from treatment, who is basically the only reason I am staying in recovery. She believed in me. Sometimes all it takes is that one person who you really connect with to make you believe in yourself.

I am now 26 years old and am at a job I love in fashion, my favorite activities include shopping, watching Netflix, hanging out with my friends, or just cuddling with my dog.