IT was a night of inspiration and emotion as the Sunshine Coast community came together at Lake Kawana Community Centre in support of the first centre in Australia for those suffering eating disorders.

More than $35,000 was raised on the night for EndED (End Eating Disorders) but the real success was the level of awareness about eating disorders and the Sunshine Coast project that is being created for the community.

Triumph Through Adversity was the theme of the night and speakers included Curtis McGrath OAM, a soldier who had both his legs blown off while serving in Afghanistan when he was 24 but went on to become a gold-medal winning paralympian.

He was joined by Millie Thomas, who went through 15 years in anorexia hell before becoming the face of EndED on the Sunshine Coast.

For Millie Thomas, she has fought and overcome her battle with the little-understood disease, which claims the lives of more of its victims than any other mental illness.

Millie isn’t one of them. Her story is one of survival and hope, and that’s what she now represents to the 30-plus Sunshine Coast women and girls aged 10 to 40 who she mentors through EndED

That hope that wasn’t offered to her but will be to hundreds of patients battling illnesses just like hers.

A million-dollar specialist facility based at Mooloolah Valley will be constructed by 2020, said to bring life-changing treatment to the Coast.

The centre, endED Butterfly House, is an Australian-first residential facility.

Instigators of the facility, Mark and Gayle Forbes understand the eating disorder world only too well. Between them they have two direct family members who suffer from bulimia.

They deal with parents on a daily basis who have had to mortgage their homes to cover the treatment costs of such illnesses.

It is estimated that well over one million Australians currently experience eating disorders with only 10% of those receiving appropriate treatment and care.

What is astonishing is that there are no dedicated residential facilities in Australia that specifically treat eating disorders. Until now.

Mark Forbes and Millie Thomas are working together to make a difference for Australians who suffer from eating disorders and have plans approved to build the country’s first eating disorder residential.

They have found 10ha in the Sunshine Coast hinterland where they will build Australia’s first live-in residential eating disorder facility.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has referred to this project as the National Trial Centre.

It already has the backing of 36 Sunshine Coast businesses that are donating their time and money.

Businesses such as Blackburne Jackson who have created the designs for the facility pro bono, and $1m donated by local philanthropists Roy and Nola Thompson for the purchase of the land.

Other businesses are donating time and resources for construction of the project.

“I’m so incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together in such a short space of time,” Millie Thomas said after Friday night’s event.

She said that standing the next day at the site of endED Butterfly House it started to finally sink in.

“Our dream is coming true. We are making history with Australia’s first residential Eating Disorder treatment facility.

“We are without a doubt paving the way for real systemic change.

“I’m so incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together in such a short space of time.”

“Thank you to everyone that has supported, contributed and believed in the endED journey. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

The night was an outstanding success due to the level of support. Yet when a sufferer spoke bravely for the first time about her battle with anorexia not a person in the room was untouched by her words as she shared her story. It gave everyone a real insight into what a living hell fighting this monster they call “ED” must be.

For Curtis McGrath, 30 minutes after being stretchered from the bomb site in 2012, he was already thinking about pursuing a career as an amputee athlete.

Fully aware of his grim situation and partly to maintain consciousness as a survival mechanism, in true Australian style he joked with those helping him about becoming a paralympian.

To understand what he has been through and still been able to come out the other side is an inspiration to all.

He didn’t know what sport he was going to do, but his positive outlook and determination to rebound and get on with achieving his driving ambitions is what has made this man get to where he is today.

He tried his hand at a few sports but settled on canoeing, an activity he’d dabbled in at school.

In October 2013, Curtis with his father Paul, participated 1000 km paddle from Sydney to Queensland to raise funds for the Mates4Mates program, to support wounded, injured or ill Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families.

Curtis won two gold medals at the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships then went on to win a gold medal in the KL2 Paracanoe Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He has consistently won gold and silver medals in the Paracanoe World Championships and is looking forward to defending his title at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Supporters of the endED Butterfly House include Blackburne Jackson, Mosaic Property Group, Port City Airconditioning, McGraths, Colliers, Go Transit, Ron Grabbe and they were joined by so many other people and businesses to support the first event.

All auction items were donated which meant 100% of what was raised will go towards the construction and fit out of this facility.

For further information on the Sunshine Coast project, go to the endED website (endED.org.au).

The post Pathways for overcoming adversity appeared first on Blackburne Jackson.

Article published in Life&Style Weekend, Saturday April 14, 2018

They are among the Coast’s most influential people, and they have been working behind the scenes for decades.
Meet Stephen Cope, Rohan Jackson and David Shields.

The humble trio are the directors of Blackburne Jackson Design, a multi-disciplinary firm specialising in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and project management.

Originally based in Brisbane since 1932, the firm’s HQ madea sea change in the late ’60s and has been an instrumental influence on the Coast’s urban landscape the past 40 years… but Stephen, Rohan and David don’t stop there.

Avid supporters of local charities, Stephen says they are passionate about giving back to the community through fundraising as well as offering their services pro bono for the design of buildings, interiors and landscapes.

They have donated an equivalent value of $60,000 to design and document the Reed Charity House (next to the Nambour hospital), the disabled compliant connection bridge from Reed Charity House to the Nambour Hospital, Wishlist Garden Nambour Hospital, Brothers Rugby Union Club, Stockland Park Kawana and design of the pediatric emergency ward at the Nambour Hospital.

Most recently they have been involved in the pro bono design and documentation of the innovative and hopefully life-changing eating disorder clinic, EndEd, on the Sunshine Coast.

Then there are the numerous sponsorships, donations and fundraisers for charities including the Wishlist Waterlife Row for Cancer, Cancer Relay for Life, Buderim Foundation, Rotary Club Noosa, Sunshine Coast Police Citizens, Kokoda Challenge, not to mention supporting student work experience programs for numerous local schools plus many of the region’s architectural university students commuting to Brisbane for study.

Blackburne Jackson Design aren’t just a part of our buildings, schools, halls, hospitals or parks, they’re a part of the community… and they want a bright Sunshine Coast for future generations through the creation of beautiful, inspiring buildings that improve people’s interaction with the built environment.

“Sustainability isa part of our methodology and philosophy and is at the core of everything we design,” David said.

Stephen has been with Blackburne Jackson Design for 30 years and he agrees.

“Good architecture and clever design has always been sustainable. We have always held that belief and we design accordingly,” Stephen said.

When the sustainability codes came in, Stephen said Blackburne Jackson Design didn’t have to change much as they always considered the environment in their projects.

Rohan’s father, Ian Jackson, was a previous director of Blackburne Jackson Design along with Jim Blackburne.

As a second-generation architect, Rohan says their outlook has remained the same – design with purpose.

“Our philosophy has always been to design functional buildings that consider the urban landscape. We create the best possible outcome and provide design solutions that are practical, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing,” Rohan said.

Rohan first started working in the office during his school holidays in 1990. After school he went on to study architecture and in 1997 after his fourth year of university, he returned to Blackburne Jackson Design working four days a week. Rohan graduated in 2000 and continued working full-time until he managed to convince his father and Jim to let him take leave and work overseas in England.

Nine months later, he left London and returned to work on Maroochydore’s Platinum apartment project at Duporth Ave. The building blocks were in place and in 2005 he became a director of the firm.

“The greatest influence Ian had on me was my work ethic,” Rohan said of his father.

“In general terms his influence was morearound being respectful, punctual, reliable, honest and trustworthy– characteristics that are important for every aspect of your life and they have carried across from my personal life to the business.”

It’s these ethics– personal and professional – which have been passed down the generations at Blackburne Jackson
Design, creating a one-of-a-kind culture. Their clientele proves this.

“We are very fortunate to have some truly amazing clients who we have done numerous projects for over the years,” Stephen said.

“We have constantly worked with builders, developers and had regular work designing institutional projects like health and educational facilities. We have a really loyal client base who we have built solid relationships with over the years.”

While they are based on the Sunshine

David said, in the late 1980s, the Coast was at risk of going down the path of the Gold Coast, but thankfully local architects evolved.
“Over the years we have created a style that is a response to the environment that is
a collective of the design philosophies of the architects, town planners and council while meeting client expectations,” David said.
“I hope there will always bea distinctive Sunshine Coast style here that evolves as we move forward.
“I would hate the Sunshine Coast to simply
follow or copy others in terms of delivering on-design outcomes.”
While keeping the Coast identity, David,
Stephen and Rohan hope the next batch of

Hancock St, Mooloolaba, which was my first real project in the office,” Rohan said.
“Another project would be the Balgownie Vineyard and Resort in the Yarra Valley.I learnt a lot working on this multi-staged development and utilised construction materials not used on the Coast before.
“And finally,a projectI called Back House,
which was my own home that I completed with my wife, Jessica. It gave us the opportunity to explore our own concepts for sub-tropical living.”
David’s proudest project was one of the firm’s multi-residential projects, Inn on the Park in Brisbane.
“It was a great site but there were issues raised by the neighbours regarding the development, particularly over their potential

Coast, Blackburne Jackson Design offer their services across Australia and internationally.
David said a challenge they’ve had to overcome is the perception that a local firm
was too small and inexperienced to undertake sizable jobs.
“This simply isn’t the case and there are a

I H OPE WE CO NT INU E TO S EE ARCH IT EC TURE EVOLVE BU T I N WAYS THAT M INIM ISE TH E I MPAC T I T W ILL HAVE ON THE LA NDSCA PE .
— STEP HEN COPE

.. … … …… …. …. .

to lose views.
“The project ended up in the Planning and Environment Court but was subsequently approved as we were able to come up with a design that maximised the site outcome for the developer while also answering a lot of the criteria raised as issues by the

number of firms who have the benefit of very
knowledgeable people with many years of experience working on large and complex projects,” David added.
David brings extensive experience in the design of large and complex buildings, both here and abroad, having worked on shopping
centres like Australia Fair, five-star hotels, convention centres, hospitals, education facilities, Queensland Parliament House and even prisons with a previous firm, Peddle Thorpe and Harvey.
David’s innate ability to understand the
bigger picture, among the complexities and challenges of large projects, was recognised by Peddle Thorpe and Harvey and, as a result, he was made the firm’s youngest-ever associate at the time.
Meanwhile Stephen started with
Blackburne Jackson Design in 1988 as a junior draftsperson and gradually worked his way through to more senior roles.

comfortably say there is no better place to
call home than the Sunshine Coast,” Stephen said. “Every morning I drive over the hill at Alexandra Headland and the sweeping views to Noosa just take your breath away. Architects and designers do not have to live where a building is being constructed, we can work from anywhere.”
Rohan couldn’t agree more.
“I was born and raised on the Sunshine Coast. Later in life, I was fortunate enough to travel which gave me a great appreciation of what a special part of the world the Coast is. My time spent living abroad reinforced that I didn’t want to live anywhere else. We are very lucky to be able to call the Sunshine Coast home,” Rohan said.
With their hearts entrenched on the Coast, Stephen, Rohan and David hope the region’s urban landscape maintains its own identity
and unique style of architecture while respecting the natural environment.

architects also respect the sub-tropical
environment and resources.
“I would like to see the firm and those who follow in our footsteps continue to help shape the future of the Sunshine Coast, always being mindful of the impact their designs have on both the urban fabric and natural environment,” Rohan said.

“I hope we continue to see architecture evolve but in ways that minimise the impact it will have on the landscape.

“We have a beautiful and unique region and we must design with that in mind,” Stephen said. Looking back at their outstanding careers at Blackburne Jackson Design, Rohan said picking a favourite project was like asking, “Which is your favourite child?”.
“I would have to say that I don’t have favourites, however, some are more memorable than others (for a variety of reasons) and these include the Sajen office in

neighbouring residents – all while delivering
a beautiful, unique building,” David said. And looking back at Stephen’s 30 years
with Blackburne Jackson Design, the Mooloolaba International Hotel (Mantra, Mooloolaba) gets the nod due to its size and complexity.

But it’s not the end for the influential yet modest trio.

Stephen said Blackburne Jackson Design have “too many to list” projects coming up. Always striving to create beautiful, inspiring buildings that improve people’s interaction with the built environment, current projects vary from bespoke homes to Parkridge in Noosa and the updated masterplan and works for Buderim Private Hospital.

The team at Blackburne Jackson Design continue to work behind the scenes to do their bit for the Coast’s identity, environment and people.

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Mark and Gayle Forbes and Millie Thomas are three of those amazing people.

Millie is an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach and knows firsthand what her clients are going through having previously suffered Anorexia for 15 years before conquering the disease two years ago.

If there were more hours in the day she would have more clients, such is the demand for her services.

Mark Forbes understands this only too well. He has two direct family members who suffer bulimia. One is managing the condition and the other fights this insidious disease daily. He says he has “spent hundreds of thousands of dollars seeking help and treatment over the years”.

What is astonishing is that there is no dedicated live-in facility in Australia that specifically treats eating disorders. Families are often forced to seek help overseas and according to the New York Times, “A residential program costs $30,000 (AU $38,632) a month on average. And many patients require three or more months of treatment, often at a facility far from home”.

Mark and Millie are working together to make a difference for Australians who suffer from eating disorders and have plans approved to build the country’s first eating disorder clinic. They have found 25 acres in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland where they will build Australia’s first live-in residential eating disorder facility.

However, they cannot do this alone. With many local businesses (17 to date) already donating their time, such as Blackburne Jackson Design who have created the designs for the facility pro bono, they now need all of Australia to get behind them and help raise $1.3m to secure the land purchase. A further $2m will be required from July 2018 to Feb 2019 to undertake the construction of the project.

Donations of cash are being accepted but they also have a list of all the construction components and would love to hear from anyone who may be able to provide cabinetry, hardware, doors, windows etc. as well as people able to provide the internal fit out of beds and lounges.

Equine Therapy will be an important part of the healing process and new equine related equipment such as leads, saddles, bridles and rugs (as well as sound school masters) will be very well received.

The team are doing everything they can to raise the much-needed funds and are organising a ‘Main Event’ fundraiser to be held on 20 July this year. If you would like to join them or are able to sponsor or donate an auction prize, they would love to hear from you.

With one in 10 people suffering from an eating disorder (25 per cent are male), and suicide 32 times higher for people suffering anorexia-nervosa than the general population, it is time we band together and do something about changing these horrific statistics.

Please get involved today and help us create Australia’s first Live In Residential ED Facility become a reality. For more details go to https://www.ended.org.au/

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