Miss Kirsten Haglund, representing the state of Michigan in the 2008 Miss America pageant, won the nod of the judges on the final night in January 2008. In this achievement, she began the unlikely story of a remarkable young woman, who broke free from the often hidden ravages of anorexia, to bask in the spotlight of fame and achievement. During her year on tour of the USA, apart from promoting the pageant, and the Children’s Miracle Network, she has committed to advancing her platform issue - the awareness of eating disorders, a matter in which, she has had more than a little experience. In her Personal Platform Statement, Miss Haglund offers as her key objective - education. Education of young people about the dangers of eating disorders, as well as, education of adults responsible for the welfare of young persons, about the symptoms, personal struggles and needs of those afflicted with eating disorders. She states. “By helping adolescents to define themselves based on their character and their convictions rather than their physical shape, we can begin to combat some of the emotional triggers of eating disorders.” This enthusiasm in sharing information, to positively change the lives of others, influenced Hearts and Minds to seek an interview with Miss America 2008. President of Hearts & Minds, Bill Blackman, assisted by two volunteers conducted a telephone interview with Miss Haglund, excerpts of which follow. Hearts & Minds: Hello Miss Haglund, congratulations on your outstanding achievement. We appreciate your making yourself available for this interview and for your willingness to speak out on important issues. Kirsten Haglund, Miss America 2008: Hello, and
thank you. KH: My goodness! It is an incredible
opportunity! Instead of being a nineteen year-old sitting in classrooms, I
am now traveling around the country, spreading an important message. Apart
from obtaining a scholarship, which was an important goal, I get to speak
out about an issue that needs to be addressed - especially by young women.
It is the most important thing to me. That is why I have made it my platform
issue. KH: Age was not really a factor. I believe age is just a number. I consider life experiences, travel, situations, where independent judgment is critical, to be more important in building confidence. I believe that I have always been more mature than my peers. H & M: Do you believe that attitudes, philosophies or spiritual beliefs played an important part in your preparation for what must have been a very stressful situation? KH: Well, I am a spiritual person. I read my Bible every morning. This helped me in my recovery from my eating disorder and in building a special foundation in my life - a close relationship with God. Whenever things get stressful, I just pray about it and let God handle it. I believe that He cares and I let Him take charge of things. H & M: What has been your toughest challenge being Miss America? KH: The main challenge was handling the reality check of comparing yourself to the other competing young women. This was particularly difficult, because, one of the issues involved in my eating disorder was comparing, myself with other women, especially media icons. I had to guard against that. To maintain my self-confidence, I stayed focused on my presentation, recognizing that the competition was the field of candidates, and that my “product” was great. I believed that once I blocked out any distractions and presented well before the judges, I would be fine. If they did not accept my presentation, it did not mean that I was less of a success, but simply, that they were looking for something different. H & M: As Miss America 2008, what is your speaking schedule like? KH: In Austin, Texas, I spoke at a council, along with athletes and other celebrities, who overcame eating disorders. In October, I visted a new treatment center for young women with eating disorders. It is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was very excited about that! I also spoke at a conference for professionals in Toronto, Canada. H & M: After your term is up, in what ways would you like to continue helping others? KH: After my term as Miss America, I shall continue my advocacy work. I also intend to study for a degree in business and marketing, as I hope one day to start a non-profit to raise money to help women afflicted by eating disorders. I would like to involve other celebrities in bringing this issue to the attention of a wider public audience. H & M: Would you like to share anything about your personal struggle with anorexia? KH: Certainly. H & M: Thank You. What could others learn from your experience? How could they identify key triggers to eating disorders? KH: The most important thing I learned from my own experience and that of other girls is that, if you must diet, you should go on a media diet! One of the biggest triggers was looking at models in fashion magazines. I saw that this was harmful to me - this image of beauty, which was not realistic. Therefore, I removed myself from this situation. I started picking up Time magazine, instead of Vogue; turning off the TV, and putting aside my IPod. Instead, I started taking walks. I convinced myself to go on a media diet. H & M: Media diet! Nice turn of phrase! What do you regret most about your eating disorder experience? KH: I would say the changes in my personal relationships. I was a completely different person around my family. Looking back, I became a mean and nasty person to my parents - parents, who loved me, unconditionally. I didn’t want to be around any of my friends, because I didn’t want to be around any situation with food, where I may have felt forced to eat. H & M: What are some of the signs that an eating disorder may be an issue? KH: Firstly, parents should be aware that if a
young person is losing a lot of weight and the loss cannot be explained by
specific activity, for example, weight-lifting, or running etc., then they
should be on guard. Secondly, they need to be aware of unusual behavior
around food - a drastic change in appetite. Thirdly, dramatic mood swings -
a bubbly personality suddenly becomes subdued. H & M: Acknowledging that it is a delicate issue, how can one offer to help someone with an eating disorder? KH: The most important thing is to avoid to the use of “You” phrases, such as; “You look sick”, or, “You need help”. You, you…! Rather, empathize with their situation. “I see that you are struggling”. “I am concerned for you, and would really like to talk to you about it”. Listen attentively when they confide. Only parents can insist that adolescents seek help. H & M: How were you able to resolve your difficulties and get help? KH: My parents noticed that I was losing weight and that I was avoiding food that I previously loved. When my Mom noticed that I had lost more weight than was healthy, she insisted that I see a doctor. At first, I became upset and resisted. Eventually, I faced my demons - my physical state, my deteriorating emotional health. I visited an eating disorder specialist, and was diagnosed with anorexia. I was placed in a treatment program, with a psychologist and a nutritionist - it worked. H & M: Is there any additional advice for those dealing with eating disorders? KH: For anyone struggling with an eating disorder, or going through treatment, the most important thing to know is that there is always hope. Hope that there is always another day and that you can get better. In addition, even if you don’t believe it, there are people who care, people who love you. H & M: Miss Haglund, thank you very much for your time, and for sharing your experience and advice, with us. KH: You’re welcome. Thank you for allowing me to share my platform issue with your organization and its associates. Have a great day. Bye. H & M: Bye.
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