Letters of Light: MI teen creates eating disorder recovery nonprofit

Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 2, 2026

Sophie Perrenoud first needed to get help for herself — and now she’s forging a path to lending others a vital hand in the realm of eating disorder recovery.

After having a shaky relationship with food beginning in fifth grade, things took a bad turn during the summer between her freshman and sophomore years at Mercer Island High School (MIHS), she said.

Returning home after soccer conditioning, she barely ate, adding that she wasn’t even eating a meal a day.

“It really got to the point where I was afraid to take medicine at some point because I was scared of the calories it might contain. I was scared having an extra blueberry because, again, like, calories,” Perrenoud, now 17 and a MIHS rising senior, said on a recent afternoon.

She added that the food culture in high school becomes worse with other girls also struggling with their body images.

“I think a really big part of that was my whole life (I’ve) been labeled as skinny. When you go through puberty, your body’s going to go through changes naturally. But for me, I was almost scared that I was going to be losing that part of my identity,” said Perrenoud, noting that her brother first noticed there was something wrong and then she eventually went to the doctor with her concerned mother.

The doctor examined her right away because of the severity of Perrenoud’s situation. After quitting soccer and losing more weight, she was admitted to the Eating Recovery Center (ERC) in Bellevue for more hands-on treatment.

Perrenoud confided in one friend about her eating disorder and received support from that classmate. She also benefited from a strong support system from her family and people at ERC during her recovery.

During Perrenoud’s six months as a patient at ERC, her health greatly improved and she shone when group therapy discussions took place. She always tried to help others during those sessions and was known as the veteran of her group.

“I think where I am right now, I’m in a really good place. I’m much more independent. I was just at this summer program where I was by myself the whole day. And it was great. I could do everything. I could get all the nutrition that I needed and make supportive choices,” said Perrenoud, who recently attended the Tech-X mental health and AI program at Stanford University. She’ll soon be heading to London to participate in an AI and bioinformatics program.

When it comes to supporting others, Perrenoud launched the advocacy nonprofit Letters of Light last October and has delivered 500-plus encouraging letters to eating disorder recovery patients at ERC.

Rachel Doyle, who is an ERC alumni/community outreach liaison, has worked closely with Perrenoud on the Letters of Light project and is proud of how far she’s come.

“I think it’s really incredible all that Sophie’s done. Recovery is really challenging. Oftentimes, it can take years to fully recover. Sophie has not only recovered, but decided to make it almost like her life’s mission to give back to others and connect with others,” said Doyle.

Since last September, Perrenoud has been sitting in front of a microphone and discussing eating disorders with an audience on her “Dear Body, Dear Mind” podcast that is broadcast on KMIH 88.9 The Bridge and Spotify. She brings a scientific perspective to the pod while discussing misconceptions around eating disorders, she interviews specialists in the field and more. On the statistics front, the pod has amassed 15,000 downloads and she’s reached 50 different countries on the Internet.

She’s received positive feedback from the pod that has brightened her day and made her realize she’s making a difference. It gives her the incentive to continue the drive to be there for others in need and be active in the community.

When discussing her road to recovery, Perrenoud provided some crucial insight that can resonate with others: “I think the really big part is your future and your independency. When you’re recovering, you’re not only recovering for yourself, you’re also recovering for the people who love you because they’re almost in it with you.”

For more information, visit: https://www.letters-of-light.com/