Jessica MacMillan seemed to have everything to live for but she hid a dark secret.
Beautiful, with a bright future, the 19-year-old psychology student from West Pennant Hills had many friends and had just begun dating her first boyfriend.
But for seven years, she had been battling anorexia nervosa.
After she took her own life on June 13, Jessica's family decided they did not want her death to be in vain.
They have organized a walkathon on Saturday to raise money and awareness for an eating disorder charity, the Butterfly Foundation.
Jessica was diagnosed with the illness when she was 12, after having problems adjusting to the transition from primary to high school, her mother Jo said.
"Jessica's always been tiny - people used to say to her, `You're so lucky', because she could eat two Quarter Pounders and never put on any weight," Mrs Macmillan said.
"She felt the only way she was going to be accepted was by keeping thin."
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Stories like Jessica's happen more often than we'd like to think. Teens struggle with all kinds of self-esteem issues that can eventually take over and even end their lives. Recognizing signs early and knowing treatment options can be of help if your teen happens to struggle with an eating disorder.
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