Ballygowan woman Jacqueline Olivia King received an MBE for service to People with Eating Disorders in Northern Ireland.
Jacqueline, who lives with her husband John and children - Natalie aged 21 and Jonathon 16 - at Magherscouse Road had battle anorexia early in her life and as she recovered she channeled her efforts into helping others with an eating disorder.
Speaking to the Chronicle about her honour she said: "I would like to see this as being for everybody with an eating disorder, not just for me. It is good for everybody.
Eating Disorders are still very misunderstood, so I am pleased about our publicity this award has broughtin highlighting our organization - Eating Disorder Association (NI), which is based at Bedford Street in Belfast.
"I was shocked and a bit embarrassed when I was first informed about the MBE four weeks ago and I was not allowed to tell anyone. I was humbled and up until Saturday I did not believe it."
She added: "In 2000 I started campaigning for assistance for people with eating disorders by writing to the Health Minister at the time, but I kept getting awful negative letters back about no funding.
"About two years after that I got a letter saying there was still no funding, but an hour after opening the letter I got a phone call asking me to come up to Stormont for a meeting. It was a great way it worked out and the meeting resulted in us being able to set up our premises at Bedford Street.
"We keep records and these show that 100 people a month call in off the street to make an appointment or have a chat. Some appointments are on a one-to-one basis and others come to our twice monthly support groups.
"We have made a difference to many lives in this center and we still have people coming in whocame to us when we first opened. We are nearly like friends."