Endometriosis Awareness Week – Touching the Lives of Women With Endometriosis

Creating Endometriosis Awareness – How it All Began

The first official National Endometriosis Month was celebrated by the United States Congress in March 2002. Since then many countries have joined in spreading awareness and helping those affected by this condition. In fact, since 2014 may countries worldwide organize an ‘Endometrial March’ to drive home the message to all women and their families and the people at large. The fourth Worldwide Endometriosis March this year is being held on the 25^th March 2017 to promote awareness about endometriosis.

Like other disease conditions, endometriosis too has the honor of being represented by a ‘yellow ribbon’ to promote its awareness and the month of March has been chosen as the Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Theme of Endometriosis Week - 2017

The main objectives of the Endometriosis Week 2017 include

• Promoting – More awareness about this disabling but little-known disease
• Highlighting – What it entails to be a sufferer of this disease, its impact on the families and carers of the patient
• Seeking - Quality and affordable care and treatment for all women irrespective of where they May live
• Creating - understanding and spreading knowledge about endometriosis amongst the medical profession, employers, education sector, politicians and the society at large
• Providing- An opportunity for anyone affected by this disease to participate in the movement and make a difference.

What is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis refers to the condition where the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) which is shed every month during the periods occurs abnormally in extra-uterine sites such as the tubes, ovaries and other sites in the abdomen and pelvis. It is a disabling condition affecting the quality of life in women who suffer from this disease.

The cause of this condition is not known and there is no definitive cure.

Facts and Figures About Endometriosis

• It is estimated that over 176 million or 10 percent of womenfolk suffer from endometriosis. The costs incurred by the health care system due to this disease are estimated to cross $ 1 billion annually worldwide.
• Endometriosis leads to heavy and painful periods, chronic fatigue, infertility, and urinary and bowel problems as well. Many of these women suffer from depression and are unable to carry on with their normal routine activities seriously impacting their personal and social life.
• Shockingly, it has been found that on an average, for a diagnosis of endometriosis to be made it takes about 7 years.
• Most women suffer silently unwilling to talk about this painful and disabling condition since the society mistakenly perceives periods and related phenomena as a normal part of a woman’s life.

Endometriosis awareness campaigns hope to raise awareness about this chronic and disabling condition, change perceptions and offer support and understanding to women and their families.

Endometriosis Support Organizations

There are many support organizations that provide information on the condition, the available treatments, how to cope and most importantly offer a platform for women and their families to share their experiences and to learn from other people’s stories of how they coped with and conquered this condition. These organizations also organize events and fundraisers to raise money for endometriosis research to gain more insight into the disease and offer the hope of a cure one day.

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References:

1. Understanding Endometriosis - (https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/information)
2. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month - (http://www.resolvenewengland.org/2012/03/march-is-endometriosis-awareness-month/)

Source-Medindia