For Immediate Release
SENATE BACKS "ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH" RESOLUTION
California State Senate Overwhelmingly Approves First Official Legislation Proclaiming Month of March as "Endometriosis Awareness Month"
DELRAY BEACH, FL. / March 25, 2002 -- The Endometriosis Research Center (ERC) is delighted to announce that Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 160 was unanimously passed by the California State Senate on March 21, 2002. Introduced by Assemblyman George Runner (R-36th District) and Assemblywoman Patricia Bates (R-73rd District) and supported by 70 Co-sponsors, ACR 160 officially proclaims the month of March as "Endometriosis Awareness Month."
The ERC, which began working with State officials on ACR 160 last summer, has celebrated March as Endometriosis Awareness Month since the organization was founded; however, this is the first official legislation recognizing the disease. "Women and teens living with Endometriosis every day know all too well the far-reaching impact this illness has on our society," said Michelle E. Marvel, Founder and Executive Director of the ERC. "However, outside of the Endometriosis population, Endometriosis awareness is severely lacking. We continue to find that Endometriosis remains a poorly understood disease, despite the fact that millions of women and teens here in the United States alone suffer from the illness," Marvel went on to say. "We are extremely gratified that the State of California has recognized this significant need for broader awareness and understanding of the disease."
As outlined in ACR 160, "ERC Casual Days" and other fundraising and awareness efforts are held annually during the month of March in celebration of the ERC's anniversary. "The goal of these events is to educate the general public about the significance of Endometriosis, to support and assist those living with the disease, and to raise funds for research, support and educational efforts concerning Endometriosis," said Marvel.
Endometriosis is a painful reproductive and immunological illness that is more prevalent than Breast Cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease. The disease, a leading cause of female infertility, chronic pelvic pain and hysterectomy, affects over 7 million women and teens in the United States alone with an estimated 70 million more worldwide. Endometriosis can be so debilitating as to render a woman or girl unable to work, care for herself or her family, or attend school or social obligations. "Endometriosis is more than just 'bad cramps'," noted Marvel. "This disease can negatively impact every aspect of a woman or teen's life, including her job, her self-esteem, her relationships, and her ability to function on a daily basis."
With Endometriosis, tissue like the endometrium (the tissue inside the uterus which builds up and is shed each month during menstruation) is found outside the uterus, in other areas of the body. These implants respond to hormonal commands each month and break down and bleed. However, unlike the endometrium, these tissue deposits have no way of leaving the body. The result is internal bleeding, inflammation of surrounding areas, expression of irritating enzymes and formation of scar tissue. In addition, depending on the location of the growths, interference with the bowel, bladder, intestines and other areas of the pelvic cavity can occur. Endometriosis has even been found lodged in the skin and at other extrapelvic locations like the arm, leg and even brain. Symptoms include pelvic pain with or without menstruation, infertility, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, pain during or after intercourse, gastrointestinal difficulties, fatigue, chronic pain, allergies and other immune system-related dysfunction. Recent studies have also shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and autoimmune disorders in women with Endometriosis.
Currently, Endometriosis can only be diagnosed through invasive surgery and there is no definitive cure for the illness; however, research is underway concerning non-invasive diagnostic testing and new, more effective treatments.
The ERC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded by Executive Director Michelle E. Marvel in 1997 to address the growing needs of the international Endometriosis community. The ERC helps to improve the quality of life for those with the disease through their International support programs, which includes over 40 in-person support groups and the Internet's largest electronic Endometriosis support group; provides practitioners, patients and all those interested in the disease with extensive educational materials; raises awareness about Endometriosis; works with legislators to facilitate proper funding for Endometriosis research; assists medical industry leaders with developmental studies and data collection on the disease; and lobbies the National Institutes of Heath and similar foundations in support of various research grants. The ERC is currently implementing their latest program for Professionals, designed to encourage global collaboration and advance the study and treatment of Endometriosis.
Unlike similar women's health organizations, the organization is unique in that it is not fee-based. There is never a cost to benefit from the ERC programs. The ERC exists solely on the donations and contributions of concerned individuals and organizations that share the ERC's vision of helping women with Endometriosis--and of someday finding a cure for the disease.
The ERC previously testified before the California State Legislature at the invitation of Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced) on behalf of AB 2820, a consequential bill calling for independent research into the presence of dioxin, which has been linked to Endometriosis, in feminine hygiene products and the subsequent risks this toxin poses to women and their children. AB 2820 was approved by majority vote and passed on to the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services.
Currently, the organization is also working with members of Congress to pass a National Resolution for Endometriosis Awareness. The National Resolution, similar to ACR 160, "strongly supports efforts to raise public awareness of Endometriosis throughout the medical and lay communities, recognizes the need for better support of patients with Endometriosis, the need for physicians to better understand the disease, the need for more effective treatments, and ultimately, the need for a cure."
"With the sponsorship of policymakers like Assemblywoman Bates, Assemblyman Runner and our other supporters, we can ensure that Endometriosis is no longer treated as an insignificant issue," said Marvel. "Patients, physicians and society at large needs to understand that Endometriosis is a disease which affects all of us."
For more information, contact: Michelle E. Marvel, Founder & Executive Director The Endometriosis Research Center Email: <A HREF="mailto:EndoFL@aol.com">EndoFL@aol.com</A> | <A HREF="http://www.endocenter.org/">http://www.endocenter.org</A>
FL-03-25-02 1230AM EST
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