As an adolescent, Saylor was very tall for her age. At 5’6” in 5th Grade, she experienced bullying, and even some well-meaning comments about her height, that had a significant impact on her self-esteem and body image.
She started to see herself as “too big” and decided she had to do something to change it. She couldn’t control her height but desperately wanted to find a way to become smaller, so she started eating less. By the time she was in middle school, her eating disorder had taken a toll, and her mother noticed the decline in her daughter’s physical and mental health.
In addition to weight loss and physical symptoms such as dizziness, Saylor experienced irritability and insecurity. Recognizing that Saylor’s problem wasn’t something they could overcome alone, her mom turned to friends for advice about how to get her the help she needed, which is how she found out about the resources available through Lee Health at Golisano Children’s Hospital. Sadly, she learned that it would be six to eight months before her daughter could get an appointment there, or anywhere in Southwest Florida.
“I was told about Kids’ Minds Matter, and through that, I was finally able to connect with someone who recognized that Saylor couldn’t wait that long for help,” said Angela Davis, Saylor’s mom. “She needed help right away.”
Saylor was able to begin seeing a pediatric medicine specialist, Dr. Marcela Nur at Golisano Children’s Hospital who, in addition to providing medication and a healthy meal plan, gave her the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, which she needed to get an emergency recommendation to see a psychiatrist.
“That is where everything truly started,” said Saylor, who was provided with a combination of medication and therapy. “A year after, I was finally more content with myself. Still struggling, but more content.”
Saylor’s mom described the process as baby steps, but says she eventually saw the light come back to her daughter’s eyes.
“I was asked to tell my story at Normal Is Overrated, and it felt a lot better to get my story out there,” said Saylor. “I wanted to show other kids that you can have mental hardships, but if you want to have a positive future, you have to work for it and go get help.”
“I think her ability to share her story heals her,” says Angela. “You could tell the kids that came up to her afterward knew how she was feeling.”
In addition to sharing her story at Normal Is Overrated in 2024, Saylor was a featured speaker at this year’s annual Kids’ Minds Matter Signature Gala. This budding advocate for pediatric mental health is taking courageous steps to shine a light on the need for services and provide a message of hope to others.