Paris ( CNN ) -- A former fashion model who posed in a provocative ad campaigning against anorexia has died in France , her acting teacher said . Isabelle Caro , who was widely reported to be 28 years old , gained attention when she posed nude for the 2007 ad , which was featured on a billboard . The huge photo shows her gaunt body , with her back to the camera and her ribs visible , above the words `` No Anorexia . '' News of her death was reported in European news outlets on Wednesday and Thursday , but Caro died last month , her acting teacher , Daniele Gouzard-Dubreuil Prevot , said . She said she did not know how Caro died and said Caro 's father told her that Caro died on November 17 and was buried on November 24 . Vincent Bigler , a Swiss singer , said he received an e-mail from Caro in September . `` Isabelle told me she had been hospitalized for 15 days with acute respiratory disease , '' he said . He has not spoken with Caro 's family and said he learned of her death through Facebook and from mutual friends . Caro 's agent , Sylvie Fabregon , said she learned of Caro 's death through the news media . In 2008 , Caro released an autobiography called `` The Little Girl Who Did Not Want to Get Fat . '' In it , she described the debut of her disease when she was 12 , and talked about her battle against death , according to a summary of the book on the publisher 's website . She also denounced the `` Pro-Ana '' movement , whose supporters claim that anorexia is not a disease but a choice and a lifestyle . On what appears to be Caro 's Facebook page , listed under `` Philosophy '' are the words `` the best is yet to come . '' In the introduction of her blog , which she called `` Anorexia or the hunger to live , take a step toward healing , '' Caro appeared to describe herself as `` a little invisible snowflake in a strong blizzard who is fighting , fighting to finally live , despite years of suffering , and who is crying out to the entire world to say that anorexia is a hell from which you must escape while you still have time . ''
Carmen Caro 's public image drew attention to anorexia in 2007 . A friend said she had been ill recently with respiratory problems . News of her death just surfaced , but she died last month , her English teacher said .