Before we became part of St. Vincent’s Health, The Bronte Centre was the Bronte Foundation, founded by Jan Clarke, the mother of Bronte Cullis, a Melbourne teenager suffering from Anorexia Nervosa whose story was told by Ray Martin and Channel Nine between 1996 and 2003.

Jan’s passion and commitment to creating change in the way eating disorders are understood and treated, stems from her own personal experience. When Bronte was in the most acute stage of her illness, Jan was told by doctors to let her daughter die. Her refusal to capitulate to the illness that was threatening Bronte’s life, led to her on a quest to develop a deeper understanding of eating disorders and subsequently, the Bronte Foundation was born.

Then and now, as the Director of the Bronte Centre at St. Vincent’s Jan is a tireless campaigner for humane, effective and dignified treatment. She and her team at the Bronte Centre work together with other stakeholders, targeting gaps in the system and responding to the needs expressed by families and individuals who continue to experience the frustration, alienation and pain of these deadly illnesses. Whilst the Bronte Centre is dedicated to providing informed and effective treatment, improving options within the healthcare system is also a strategic priority.