The Danielle Valladares Hope Foundation was established September 9, 2008 as a result of our daughter Danielle being diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.* An avid basketball player, straight A student and involved in our church’s youth group, Danielle was the picture of health just seven months ago. However, alarming weight loss (51 lbs.) and excessive exercising soon controlled our daughter’s life. We thought we could take care of it ourselves through counseling and outpatient medical treatment, and we tried to for
2 1/2 months after receiving the diagnosis on July 6th. But we soon learned that we could not, and our daughter’s health got progressively worst. We then made the decision to send her to treatment at a Christian-based facility that specializes in eating disorders after being in All Children’s Hospital Emergency for dehydration, chest pains and drastic weight loss. On September 8, 2008 Danielle started a 60-day treatment at Remuda Ranch located in Milford, Virginia. This was a leap of faith on our part because of the great expense involved. The cost at Remuda Ranch is $2,675 per day! $160,500 for the 60-day treatment stay if your insurance company does not cover mental health (ours does not). However, the staff at Remuda reduced the total tuition from $160,500 to $38,500. We need your help.
It is Danielle’s wish to go public with the illness to help bring awareness to parents, children, and teens of the importance of seeking medical help early for an eating disorder. She asks for your prayers for complete healing and to be able to return soon to her family, school and friends. That is our prayer, too.