The Elisa Project announces two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan as the featured speaker for the Life Lessons Luncheon on Friday, March 3, 2017 at The Belo Mansion.
Rhonda Sargent Chambers and Melissa Rountree will serve as event co-chairs with Toni Munoz-Hunt as honorary chair. Celebrating its twelfth year, the Life Lessons Luncheon raises important funds for The Elisa Project’s mission of fighting against deadly eating disorders, and to continue our mission throughout Texas promoting the importance of healthy living, positive body image and self-esteem in all youth; through education, case management resources and advocacy efforts.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have Nancy Kerrigan join us as the keynote speaker for the Life Lessons Luncheon,” remarked Rhonda Sargent Chambers, event co-chair. “While many of us have admired Nancy for her Olympic skating career, we look forward to her sharing her journey as an athlete, mother, and now executive producer of an upcoming documentary which addresses the connection between athletes and eating disorders, something Nancy has experienced personally as well.”
Nancy Kerrigan has been one of America’s most recognizable sports icons for over 20 years. Her rise to competing at a national level began when she placed 3rd at the 1992 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, qualifying for the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships, where she won the bronze medal.
In 1992, she received a bronze medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics and the silver medal at the 1992 World Championships, later on becoming the United States Champion. Nancy also went on to win the silver medal at the 1993 Lillehammer Winter Olympics.
In addition to her work on the ice, the two time Olympic medalist has regularly appeared on television and movies as an actor (Boy Meets World, Blades of Glory, Saturday Night Live) or commentator (Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Lifetime Network, Fox Sports), and is well known for being instrumental in the creation of Halloween on Ice.
She has been a product endorser (Revlon, Reebok, Seiko, Campbell’s Soup, Old Navy), author (Artistry on Ice) and motivational speaker. The Nancy Kerrigan Foundation has raised significant funds for the vision impaired and she has been recognized for her excellence on and off the ice (US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, Mother’s Day Foundation Mother of the Year, New England Sports Hall of Fame).
Currently, Kerrigan announced she will executive produce and appear in a feature-length documentary about the connection between athletes and eating disorders. ??It is a subject close to Kerrigan, who has witnessed the difficulties and pressures faced by athletes in so-called “lean” sports such as figure skating. Kerrigan has spoken about struggles of her own around eating issues during the 1994 Olympics. ??Why Don’t You Lose 5 Pounds? will document the struggle athletes at all levels of competition face in returning to competition after being diagnosed with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Despite affecting more athletes than concussions, eating disorders get relatively little attention in the popular sports world. Eating disorders kill more people annually than any other mental illness, and many athletes find themselves at a higher risk for a problem. ??The film will take a deep look at the power of sports culture and what happens when that power enables a lethal mental disease. ?
The Life Lessons Luncheon benefiting The Elisa Project will be held on Friday, March 3,, 2017, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Belo Mansion located at 2101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75201. Sponsorships begin at $1,750 and are on sale now; limited $175 individual tickets will go on sale February 1, 2017. For more information or to purchase tickets or sponsorships, visit www.theelisaproject.org/shop or Kimberly Martinez at 866.837.1999 or tep@theelisaproject.org.
About The Elisa Project
The Elisa Project (TEP) was founded in 1999, by Rick and Leslie McCall, in memory of their daughter Elisa who lost her life to an eating disorder. TEP is dedicated to fighting eating disorder illnesses through awareness, education, support and advocacy. Eating disorders affect more than 30 million children and adults in the U.S. and can be devastating to families and those who suffer. These disorders present complex mental and physical health issues and have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness – up to 20%. They don’t discriminate, but affect both males and females of all ages, races, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. When we consider the life-threatening physical and psychological impacts of eating disorders, it’s vital that we continue to expand our prevention and intervention efforts and to improve access to treatment. If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, call The Elisa Project at 866-837-1999 to access the care and help you deserve.