Medusa: Alice Rae

Sunday, February 1, 2009

ANOREXIA: IN MEMORY OF ALICE RAE...

Alice Rae

Death came in the night, while she was sleeping.

Alice was only 18 when she suddenly died during the night of January 14, 2009. Her mother, Dr. Christine Rae, found Alice dead in bed.

"Alice was not very well but then her death was very sudden. I found her. She died in her sleep," said Alice's mother, Dr. Rae. "It is such a tragedy, it really is. She was such a lovely girl, beautiful and clever. We were very proud of her. But she had become very very thin. She had been going through a bad patch. In the last year she really deteriorated. I do not know what caused her anorexia. She had treatment with many people. She had been very ill for two years...her death was very sudden."

Alice's future was bright. She had received an offer of placement at Cambridge University to study Economics.

Alice developed anorexia two years ago, in 2007. She had received treatment at an eating disorder clinic In Eastleigh, UK. Her care at the clinic is undergoing a full review as Alice's family were not happy with the treatment she received there.

Alice's funeral was held this past Friday, January 30th, 2009:

From thisishampshire.net:

"Funeral for Alice Rae who died after anorexia battle"
6:06pm Friday 30th January 2009

"Friends and family of a gifted student who died after a two-year battle with anorexia gathered for her funeral today.

Alice Rae, 18, from Houghton, near Winchester, was buried following a service in All Saints Church, Houghton, attended by more than 130 people.

The clergyman who conducted the funeral described it as a 'very moving and beautiful' tribute to a 'very special person.'

Miss Rae's body was taken into the church in a wicker coffin chosen by her family which was covered with pink roses.

Miss Rae's brothers and sister William, Tom and Georgina spoke movingly about the life of their sister, while friends also took part in the service.

The student's friends offered their own reflections on the teenager and read the poem Death Is Nothing At All by Canon Henry Scott-Holland.

As well as prayers and readings, the congregation sang the hymns Lord Of All Hopefulness, Lord Of The Dance and Abide With Me.

The Rev Ronald Corne, Rector of Broughton with Bossington and Houghton and Mottisfont, who conducted the service, said afterwards: 'All the young people spoke movingly of her sister and friend, of what a lovely girl she was, and how much they were all going to miss her.

'The funeral service for Alice Rae was obviously heartbreaking and poignant but it was also filled with great thanksgiving for the gift of a very special person and her life.

'It was a very moving and beautiful service but of course extremely difficult.

'The service was also an important element in assisting Alice's family and friends in their grieving and in the eventual process of healing.

'The church and especially the ministry team will continue to care for the family and will be supporting them with pastoral care in the days and months to come.

'At this stage the family feel unable to speak publicly about the loss of their daughter and appreciate some time and space to come to terms with their grief.'

Miss Rae had finished her A-levels and had a place at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, at the time of her death.

She was found dead in her bed by her GP mother, Dr Christine Rae, at the home she shared with her mother and father Peter, a company director, on Wednesday January 14.

Before the funeral, Dr Helen Harvey, headmistress of the private St Swithun's School in Winchester, said: 'I was very upset and shocked to hear of Alice's death following her two year battle with anorexia.

'She left St Swithun's three years ago having achieved 9 A*s at GCSE and during her time here, I remember her as a highly intelligent, happy, well-liked member of the school community who played a full part in school life and had huge potential for the future.

'Everyone who knew Alice is deeply saddened by her death and our thoughts are with her parents and family.'"

Another death from anorexia, another heartbreaking tragedy. Rest in peace, dear Alice.