Havant mum of anorexia survivor writes song for charity Beat

The 51-year-old put pen to paper to describe the journey her daughter Sophie went through and how she found the experience of caring for someone with anorexia.

Three years on from putting the song together, Caroline has released it to raise money for charity Beat.

Sophie, 23, is now recovering from her condition with the help of her parents and husband Liam Smith.

Caroline, from Langstone, said: '˜I only learnt to play the guitar around three years ago. I have always been a creative person so one day I decided to put together a song.

'˜Runaway is about what I experienced when Sophie was dealing with her disorder. I was on a train from Brighton and I didn't want to come back and face everything.

'˜I knew Sophie was going through a really tough time but like other carers of people with eating disorders, I was suffering too.

'˜The last chorus reflects Sophie's recovery and how we overcame this together.'

Sophie's problems with her weight started when she was nine and became an addiction when she was 14.

Since then, she battled with anorexia and was referred for treatment. But Caroline said she would gain weight at the clinics to satisfy doctors and then lose it again after being discharged.

Four years ago, Sophie met Liam and with his support started overcoming her condition. Now, she is happily married with two children, 14-month-old Poppy and three-week-old George.

Sophie, from Gosport, said: '˜When I met Liam, I realised I had to do something. He meant more to me than the illness did.

'˜I cannot thank him and my family enough.

'˜I was told by a psychologist that I would never have children and now I have two. I proved them wrong and proved it is possible to overcome the illness.'

So far, Caroline's song has raised £270 for Beat, a charity that supports people with eating disorders.

Caroline said: '˜I am so proud of Sophie. A few years ago, I did doubt if we would be at this moment where she's married with children.

'˜My song is all about giving hope to others. Hope is what kept us going.'