New Residential Treatment Center for People Who Suffer from Eating Disorders

In June, 2001, Mark and Kitty Westin reached a settlement with their insurance company for $1,000,000 for the "wrongful death" of their daughter, Anna Westin. The Westin family donated the entire amount to the Anna Westin Foundation and are in the process of founding, planning and organizing a residential treatment center for people who suffer from eating disorders.

The residential program the Westin's envision will be able to accommodate 5 to 10 patients. It will be located in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul metro area in a residential neighborhood. They plan to open a "premier" center that includes medical, psychiatric and psychological services. Modeling the structural logistics from a popular New York Pain Clinic, their dream is to maintain a home-like setting which is peaceful, cozy, warm and healing. The program will include a dietician and nutritional specialist, family, group, recreational, art and music therapy. Education and community service will be part of the program and they hope to include things like meditation, yoga, massage and mindfulness training.

The Westin's are working closely with experts in the field of eating disorders as they plan their center. They have partnered with the Eating Disorders Institute at Methodist Hospital and they are meeting regularly with people from other treatment programs, people who have suffered from eating disorders and others who have an interest in this. They also meet with representatives from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and have a commitment from them to work together to develop a center that will be insurance reimbursable. The Westin's goal is to have a program that is insurance reimbursable and is able to offer grants and scholarships to those who cannot pay.

This is an extremely exciting project! The Westin's hope to have the treatment center open in approximately one year. The Anna Westin Foundation needs your help to make it happen. The $1,000,000 from the insurance settlement will be used as seed money to get the center started but it will need continued support to make it a reality. If you can support this effort please send your donation to the Anna Westin Foundation.

How to Donate

Drew & Anna

The outrage at Anna's death and the outpouring of community support has led Anna's family to establish The Anna Westin Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed to help others suffering directly or indirectly from eating disorders, and to provide education and information designed to prevent the development of anorexia and bulimia.

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The Anna Westin Foundation - PO Box 268 - Chaska, MN 55318