I have been an athlete for as long as I can remember. Sports have connected me with mentors and my best friends, given me a safe space to challenge myself, and taught me numerous life lessons. In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I began struggling with my body image and relationship to food. I began using food as a control mechanism, and I soon fell into a dark hole. 

I vividly remember going to my yearly pediatrician appointment and my (male) doctor said "You look great - skinny as a stick!". Less than a day later, my parents got a call from the doctors office, and I was rushed to a hospital two hours away. My body was breaking down: my weight was low, my blood vitals were out of whack, and my heart rate was dangerous. But most of all, my mind was shut down. I was no longer Mia. 

The week I spent in the hospital was horrifying. I had a feeding tube inserted down my throat. I barely slept as the machines I was hooked up to constantly blared and flashed red. I was forced to stay lying in bed except for my daily 20-minute ride in the wheelchair.  

After being discharged, I began my recovery journey. Five years later, I am still in the recovery process. I have gained weight and my eating disorder voice is much quieter, but I still have hard days. 

This experience has taught me how easily mental health struggles can go unnoticed, particularly in sports environments that often prize toughness and discipline over vulnerability. I also realized how little education there is surrounding topics like eating disorders and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) in athletics. I have been on several sports teams, but no coach has ever mentioned the dangers of eating disorders, disordered eating, or REDs. This is scary because it fuels misinformation. 

I started Project Unlaced to spread awareness and educate people about REDs and eating disorders in sports because high school athletes should have the necessary support system to thrive.