"No number is low enough," Sarah Allen, an eating disorder counselor, read from one of her patients' writings on weight.Her readings were only part of a candlelight vigil to increase awareness of Anorexia Nervosa and associated disorders at Chapel's Pond Thursday. The 45-minute vigil was sponsored by the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority.

Students stood in a circle next to the reflection pool while listening to poems, songs, selections and myths about eating disorders.

Allen said overcoming an eating disorder is about controlling surface behavior as a means to cover the anxiety, pain or self-loathing underneath. She said the young women she works with struggle to hear the healthy voices within them.

Another one of Allen's patients wrote, "You realize that hope is part of your diet."

Michelle Schlesinger '08, who moderated the vigil, shared personal experiences of her eating disorder.

Schlesinger was admitted into an eating disorder ward at 12 and has experienced relapses, causing her to withdraw from her first semester of college. She has learned to live life for the moment, making sure that everyone is aware that she cares for them.

The vigil ended with the lighting of candles and the recitation of the Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders Pledge.

"We were very happy that the crowd included lots of faces that we didn't recognize, and we hope that the event will grow in the future as people become more aware of anorexia nervosa and the issues surrounding the disease," organizer Hayley Tozeski '05 said.