March is Endometriosis Awareness Month

Centers Team up to Honor Women, Girls Living with Painful & Often Misunderstood Disease

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) February 27, 2006 -- Backed by formal legislation, the Endometriosis Research Center (ERC) is once again celebrating March as “Endometriosis Awareness Month.” Along with other activities to be celebrated throughout the month-long initiative, the ERC is delighted to announce its collaboration with the internationally acclaimed Center for Endometriosis Care (CEC) to provide timely information and support to those with the disease.

This year, the ERC and the CEC are partnering to present a free comprehensive packet of information on Endometriosis, including screening and treatment options, details on obtaining a free evaluation with CEC-accredited surgeons, helpful resources for women and their loved ones, and much more. Parties interested in obtaining their free copy of the CEC-ERC Awareness Package can call toll free at (866) 733-5540 beginning March 1.

Endometriosis is a painful reproductive and immunological disease in which uterine lining migrates outside the uterus and implants in other areas of the body. The disease, which affects more than 5.5 million women and girls in the United States alone and over 70 million more worldwide, continues to be stigmatized as simply “painful periods.” A leading cause of female infertility, chronic pelvic pain and gynecologic surgery, Endometriosis accounts for more than half of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the US annually. Symptoms include pelvic pain, infertility, pain with intercourse, gastrointestinal difficulties, fatigue, allergies, and immune system dysfunction. Recent research has also shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and autoimmune disorders in those with Endometriosis, as well as malignant changes within the disease itself. Researchers remain unsure as to the definitive cause of Endometriosis, which can only be diagnosed through surgery like laparoscopy, and there is no absolute cure. Current studies indicate that genetics, immune system dysfunction or exposure to environmental toxicants may be contributing factors to disease development. CEC surgeons Robert Albee, Jr., MD, FACOG, ACGE and Ken Sinervo, MD, FRCSC believe multiple causative etiologies exist.

The economic impact of Endometriosis is staggering: American businesses lose billions of dollars each year in lost productivity and work time because of the disease. Endometriosis knows no racial or socioeconomic barriers, and can affect women ranging from adolescence to post-menopause. It can be so painful as to render a woman or teen unable to care for herself or her family, attend work, school, or social functions, or go about her normal routine. Despite the hallmark symptoms associated with the illness, the average delay in diagnosis remains an astounding nine years, and a patient will seek the counsel of five or more physicians before her pain is adequately addressed and diagnosed. Once diagnosed, it is not unusual for a patient to undergo repeat surgeries and embark on many different medical therapies in an attempt to treat her symptoms. Many such therapies carry significantly negative and long-lasting side effects, and none offer long-term relief.

The ERC maintains that Endometriosis is more than just killer cramps. “We continue to find that Endometriosis remains misdiagnosed, misunderstood and ineffectively treated, despite being one of the most prevalent causes of pelvic pain in women and teens around the globe," said Michelle E. Marvel, ERC Founder and Executive Director.

The Center for Endometriosis Care (www.centerforendo.com) is a world renowned, sixteen year old medical referral center set up specifically for patients with the disease. The CEC successfully treats Endometriosis in women and adolescents of all ages from around the world utilizing advanced laparoscopic excision (LAPEX). The CEC also provides surgical preceptorships and performs credentialing for qualified gynecologic surgeons from all countries, in order to promote the effective treatment of the disease. Additionally, the CEC maintains one of the world’s largest databases studying the long-term success of surgical excision as a leading treatment for Endometriosis.

The ERC (www.endocenter.org) is an established 501(c)3 non-profit organization focused on research facilitation, providing education and support, and raising awareness. The ERC strongly advocates early intervention, timely diagnosis, and efficacy of treatment for the disease. Through the ERC's efforts to raise public awareness, the organization hopes to facilitate better support of patients, increase physician understanding of the disease, and raise research funding leading to more effective treatments and ultimately, a cure.

The ERC pioneered and has led efforts to increase recognition of Endometriosis among local, state and federal policymakers throughout the nation since the organization was founded in 1997. Through the ERC’s work, Congress previously passed the country's first-ever National Endometriosis Awareness Resolution, the first and only of its kind to formally recognize the disease and declare March as Endometriosis Awareness Month. The states of New York, Florida, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania and Michigan have also worked with the ERC to pass similar legislation recognizing the disease.

The ERC is also sponsoring additional educational, awareness and fundraising endeavors throughout March. For details, visit the ERC online at www.endocenter.org or contact the organization toll free at (800) 239-7280. For information about the CEC or to request a free CEC-ERC Awareness Month packet, visit the Center online at www.centerforendo.com or call toll free at (866) 733-5540.

###