Endometriosis Awareness Month

Endometriosis is one of the most mysterious medical conditions, affecting millions of women worldwide. Raising awareness regarding Endometriosis takes place every year in March, in an effort to educate the general public and determine authorities to take more concrete measures. Like any other awareness movement, it relies on a gradual built-up of momentum, which can be done by involving as many layers of society as possible.

Endometriosis is usually a long lasting condition and can be considered chronic. The female body experiences abnormal growth of tissue outside the uterus. Being related with the reproductive system, Endometriosis is often surrounded by stigma and shame, and talking about this problem is often the hardest step to make. Pain is normally associated with the menstrual cycle, but if other sensitive areas are affected, pain can accompany activities like sex, exercise, and digestion, significantly reducing the ability to enjoy life’s best moments.

Beside the physical difficulties, endometriosis also creates a climate of psychological discomfort. Women suffering from this condition often describe the negative effect felt in their sexual life. Nervousness and overall discomfort are normal feelings to be experienced during periods of pain. Like with any other medical condition, early screenings can facilitate discovering the problem in an early phase. Complications of endometriosis can include infertility and ovarian cancer.

Endometriosis awareness actions are planned to place all over the world during the month of March, in an effort to suggest that the only way to deal with the problem is to involve any available forces. An Endomarch will take place in San Francisco in 2016, in an effort to take yellow on the streets and bring endometriosis in focus. 5 March will be the date for the Brisbane Endometriosis Awareness Forum for Teenagers and Young Women. Attendance is free, although a initial registration is needed.

Canada will light in yellow important building in a couplem of cities. CN Tower in Toronto, High Level Bridge in Edmonton, and Calgary Tower in Calgary, all of them will bring yellow in the skyline of the Canadian cities, addressing a collective message of support and adherence to the cause. Endomarch awareness events across Canada will take place on 7 March in Charlottetown, Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Calgary.

The annual conference of the Endometriose Vereinigung Deutschland e.V. will take place in Horn-Bad Meinberg on 4-5 March. The main purpose is to offer information about new developments in research and medical therapy, as well as to facilitate occupational reintegration for persons recovering after a struggle with endometriosis.

Famous women battled endometriosis and can serve as a good example for other millions of women still fearing to undergo check-up and treatment. Names like Emma Bunton, Susan Sarandon, Julianne Hough, and Tia Mowry, all add up the list of celebrities which were willing to share their story of struggle.

Marilyn Monroe is an iconic name of the entertainment industry of the last century. Not many people are aware of the fact that she never had children, although she was pregnant numerous times. Suffering from severe endometriosis, all of her pregnancies ended in miscarriages. Former First Lady of United States and current frontrunner for the Democratic nominations for Presidency, Hillary Clinton had problems related with endometriosis when she conceived her only child, Chelsea.

Although many celebrities use medical conditions to enhance their exposure for media and fans, there is a significant percent which choose to keep such details secret. Rumors suggested that American actress and former fashion model Sharon Stone has endometriosis, due to her inability to give birth. Canadian singer Celine Dion is also rumored to have endometriosis, although there is nothing to confirm this assumption. Another famous actress, Nicole Kidman, is again a plausible person to suffer from endometriosis.

Endometriosis needs to go beyond the border of sexes and become a shared problem by both men and women. Understanding all implications is a crucial step towards lifting the shadow of stigma and shame. Is just a matter of time before the issue will reach its deserved magnitude in the hierarchy of concern regarding society. Only with enough implication and full understanding of the subject has the endometriosis a chance of finding a final solution.