“It hit me where it hurt,” she said.

Ms Kowski lost a close friend to an eating disorder and the circumstances of the suicide still haunt her.

“I never dreamt she would take her life – it is a very misunderstood illness,” she said.

“I was inspired by the article in The Border Mail to do something to raise more awareness about the complexities of eating disorders.”

In May 2017, Albury mums Meryl Wilcox and Sue Van de Ven bravely shared their stories of the brutal battle that is anorexia.

Of how they have watched their precious children taken hostage by a cruel and relentless mental illness.

And of the inadequacies of a medical system that is woefully short on specialist services to diagnose and treat eating disorders early and effectively.

The fundraiser will be held at the Wodonga Raiders clubrooms on Saturday, August 19 from 12pm to 3pm.

Guest speakers include Sarah Spence from The Butterfly Foundation; anorexia survivor Elini Psillakis; and former Albury mayor Stuart Baker, whose daughter Mary took her life the age of 15 after a three-year battle with an eating disorder. 

Ms Kowski said any interested community members were welcome to attend but organisers would particularly like to invite Border medical professionals to the event.

“This is a fundraiser but we also want to increase awareness and education around eating disorders and provide greater support for individuals and their families,” she said.

Proceeds will go to The Butterfly Foundation and Albury-Wodonga Survivors of Suicide and Friends.