To Your Health: Endometriosis group offers free virtual support across Canada

Luciani explains that endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body.

She lists common symptoms such as painful periods that disrupt daily life, pelvic and bladder pain, bowel and gastrointestinal problems, and fertility issues. People with endometriosis may also experience chronic fatigue and mental health challenges.

“It really is a whole body disease,” Luciani says.

According to Luciani, endometriosis affects one in ten girls and women, as well as an unknown number of two-spirit, transgender, and gender-diverse people.

Luciani points out that misinformation and a lack of education about endometriosis remain widespread. She says some people are told their pain is imagined or blamed on depression.

“People living with (endometriosis) are in pain. They need answers, and they need hope,” she says. “They also need to know that they’re not alone.”

She says endometriosis can feel very isolating, especially when friends and family do not have the disease or recognize its symptoms.

“That kind of leads to another barrier of feeling isolated and alone and not like everybody else,” she says.

Luciani says the Endometriosis Network Canada offers awareness, education, support, and hope to people living with endometriosis. The organization also helps those who think they might have the disease.

She explains that the network’s website, endometriosisnetwork.com, has guides to help people understand the disease and advocate for themselves. The guides also show how to ask doctors important questions, which can help people get diagnosed, manage their symptoms, and receive timely care.

Luciani notes that many people struggle with pain and loneliness. The network offers free virtual support groups twice a month, open to anyone in Canada.

“To be able to find a community of people that are going through some similar experiences, it really is empowering, and it really can change the trajectory of someone’s path,” she says.

“Our goal, our mission, is to really get the word out there,” Luciani says.

She says this includes helping people with endometriosis, or those who think they might have it, to speak up for themselves.

Luciani says the network also aims to raise awareness in local communities and across Canada, including by pushing for policy changes. The goal is to ensure people with endometriosis get the care they need.

She adds that family health providers should also understand endometriosis and know how to help patients begin getting the care they need.

More information can be found here at https://endometriosisnetwork.com/

by Dave Branco

To Your Health: Endometriosis group offers free virtual support across Canada

What's Trending