THE heartbroken family of a Dunfermline woman who suffered from anorexia has renewed their call for support for those with eating disorders as they prepare to mark the fifth anniversary of her death.

Linda Tremble was just 32 when she died on April 5 2011, after struggling with the mental health illness for nearly 20 years.

She helped others with food issues through online forums and, after her death, parents Anne and Colin set up the Linda Tremble Foundation.

Anne, 64, told the Press: “She was an incredibly caring person and was lucky enough to be able to both find and give support to other sufferers of eating disorders throughout involvement in online communities.

“We firmly believe that if she had been able to find this level of support at an earlier stage then her outcome may very well have been different.

“It was very important for her to have been able to help others and the Linda Tremble Foundation is our way of carrying on her legacy.”

Linda was 14 when she was diagnosed with anorexia. She also had autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), which compounded the problem – she struggled with social interaction and didn't talk about her health issues as a result.

Anne explained: “She was very tall and always very slim. In the beginning, we didn't realise she had an eating disorder, anybody who has it does hide it very well.

“In her late teens, she did lose a lot of weight and at that stage we realised how big a problem it was.

“Because autism is a very 'controlling' disease, we think it started because it gave her a bit of control over her body.

“But it was very difficult for us and she was more difficult to help than other children because she had Asperger's.”

The diagnosis sparked a “frustrating” battle to recovery, which Anne admitted left her and Colin feeling “helpless” as they sought help for their child.

Anne said: “There was very little help in Scotland as a whole, and Fife, for eating disorders.

“There were no wards or anything in NHS Fife to deal with people with it.

“She was referred to a general psychologist, but not one who was specifically for eating disorders.

“We have a wonderful health service in this country but there's not the same help and support when it comes to mental health as there is for someone who has a heart complaint. It's something that needs to be improved.”

The family also felt alone in their struggle – an issue they now address through the Foundation.

Anne continued: “Parents on their own can try and support the best they can, but they really need professional help.

“For us as carers, it would have been lovely to have had support as well. To know you're not the only person going through it helps.

“At the moment, someone's BMI (body mass index) has to be terribly low before professional help steps in.

“That's the one of the things we want to change because there's a much better chance of recovery if there's support earlier.”

Aged 25, Linda was diagnosed as needing professional help but couldn't access it until the ANITT (Anorexia Nervosa Intensive Treatment Team) programme was rolled out in Fife.

Anne said: “That was another year of her life gone. A year is a very long time for someone who is very thin and very malnourished.”

Linda was eventually treated in York but struggled with the therapy and eventually chose to leave.

Services have improved but, sadly, Linda ended up with epilepsy and osteoporosis and was “nearly a recluse at the end”.

Anne remembered:“In the end she just gave up. She didn't have the strength to fight it any longer. She was then very weak and didn't have anything left to fight with.

“It is very sad to see somebody going downhill like that and not being able to do anything.”

Through the foundation, Anne hopes to spare others the pain and devastation caused by eating disorders.

There are support groups and the charity is looking into working with NHS Fife to run training sessions for GPs and primary care staff.

Anne added: “When you've struggled for so many years, you do need professional help, because you're not going to get better on your own. You relapse as well.

“It stays with you the rest of your life. You recover and you get your weight back up but it's always at the back of your mind.

“There's still a bit of stigma – people are not keen to talk openly about it, but in support groups where everybody is in the same position, it does make a big difference.”

The next meeting will be on Tuesday April 5 at 7pm at St Bryce Kirk, Kirkcaldy. It's open to anyone suffering from, caring for, or looking for information on eating disorder support. Log on to www.lindatremblefoundation.org.uk.