Endometriosis Foundation of America Co-Founder Lakshsmi and Senate Co-Leader Klein Encourage NY Taxpayers to "Check the Box" and Donate to Teen Health Education Campaign

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If you check the box on your state tax form and fill in the blank with your donation, you are going to help us fill in the blacks on crucial health issues for New York state youth.

(PRWEB) February 05, 2014

WHO:    
o    State Senate Majority Co-Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester)
o    State Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland)
o    Top Chef host and Co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America Padma Lakshmi
o    Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Queens)
o    YMCA of Greater New York Vice President of Healthy Lifestyles Lori Benson
o    MADD New York State Executive Director Richard Mallow

WHAT:
At a press conference in New York City on Thursday, January 30, 2014, State Senate Coalition Co-Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and Top Chef host and Co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) Padma Lakshmi inspired New York taxpayers to “check the box” for Teen Health Education on the voluntary donation section of state income tax forms.

Gifts from taxpayers will support much-needed supplemental health education across New York State on subjects like obesity, alcoholism, substance abuse and endometriosis. Last year, Klein and Lakshmi worked together to create an online survey, which thousands of pre-teens and teens across the state filled out, and the results were startling.

“If you check the box on your state tax form and fill in the blank with your donation, you are going to help us fill in the blanks on crucial health issues for New York state youth,” said Senator Klein. “Our teens lack important information that could keep them healthy and taxpayers have the opportunity to help them prevent health problems now and in the future by handing them knowledge through a simple check mark and gift.”

Young adults from all over the state participated in the 23-question online survey at http://www.TeenHealthNY.com, but many students displayed little knowledge of serious health issues like obesity, alcoholism and substance abuse.

This survey provided eye-opening information about what students didn’t understand or know. The worst finding in the study revealed that 70% of teens couldn’t name a single symptom or effect of endometriosis, a painful disease that could affect young women. While endometriosis is one of the most treatable diseases, it remains one of the most misdiagnosed and least treated.

“If I had been diagnosed at 13, 16, 25 or even at 30, that would have been 12 weeks a year, every year that my life would have been completely different,” said Lakshmi, who was diagnosed with the disease when she was 36. “That’s why renowned surgeon Dr. Tamer Seckin and I founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America. Everyone needs to know about endometriosis. If you “CHECK THE BOX” and make a contribution, we are on our way to doing just that!”

About the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA)
The Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA) strives to increase disease recognition, provide advocacy, facilitate expert surgical training, and fund landmark endometriosis research. Engaged in a robust campaign to inform both the medical community and the public, the EFA places particular emphasis on the critical importance of early diagnosis and effective intervention while simultaneously providing education to the next generation of medical professionals and their patients. Support for the EFA comes from individuals, corporations, foundations and associations. For more information on endometriosis and the EFA, visit http://www.endofound.org or call 212-430-0371.

Media Contact:
Lauren Peteroy (212) 901-3937 lauren(dot)peteroy(at)bwr-pr(dot)com (Padma Lakshmi)
Mady Schuman (212) 430-0370 mady(at)endofound(dot)org (Executive Director, EFA)

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