Thursday, January 30, 2014

Week Three of Bloggers Unite for #EndoMarch2014: Letter to my Representative

Week Three of Bloggers Unite for #Endomarch2014 is upon us and I am so inspired when I read the blogs of other participants. This blog task may be one of the most important yet, writing a letter to your Congressional Representative regarding the march.

 It is so important to invite your Congressional Representative to the march and to give them information regarding the march. Upon contacting their representatives, some other women have actually been contacted and invited to a meeting with their representative to talk about the march and endometriosis. Maybe your representative cannot make the march, but maybe they will wear a yellow ribbon that day in support and post it? Maybe they will post information regarding the march on their social media sites? You never know what can happen and what doors may be opened! Feel free to cut and paste my letter and make it your own! Check out some of the other letters posted and feel free to borrow from them as well! Find out how to contact your representatives here: http://beta.congress.gov/members


The Honorable Eliot L. Engel

Member of the House of Representatives

2161 Rayburn House Office Building

 Washington, DC 20515  

 


I invite you to be part of an exciting worldwide movement on March 13, 2014 to support women with endometriosis. For far too long, women have been suffering with this disease in silence. Let this year be the year we leave our pain, hopelessness and despair behind. On March 13th we will bring our strength, resiliency and determination to the streets of Washington, D.C. to have our voices heard. It takes an average of ten years for a woman to be diagnosed with endometriosis due to the lack of education and awareness among medical professionals. By the time a woman is diagnosed, her health has been damaged, in many instances irreversibly.  Did you know that New York State Department of Health has recognized endometriosis to be one of three diseases that causes significant harm to young people? Statistics show that right at this moment, one in ten of your female constituents are suffering from endometriosis.  

I am part of that statistic. I was misdiagnosed and misunderstood by many medical professionals while I was in my late teens and early twenties.  Despite the fact that endometriosis was present throughout my pelvic cavity, I was told by doctors that I had a low pain tolerance and that my symptoms were either just in my head or were caused by mental health issues. Finally, when I was 26 years old, a fertility doctor properly diagnosed me with endometriosis after performing an exploratory laparoscopic surgery. I have had a total of six endometriosis-related surgeries, the last of which occurred in October 2013 and was performed by 4 different surgeons: an endometriosis excision specialist, a colorectal surgeon, a urologist and a cardiothoracic surgeon.

I am joining women gathered from across the nation in Washington, D.C. on March 13, 2014 for the Million Women March, to better educate medical professionals and spread awareness to the greater community, so that the disease can be more easily and timely recognized by doctors and patients alike.  One of our goals is to make endometriosis education part of school curricula to help young girls get diagnosed early and accurately. As we work toward our ultimate goal of encouraging research to find a cure for this disease, we will also advocate for better diagnostic tools for doctors and better treatment options for patients.

I hope that you can join me in Washington, D.C. on March 13, as my representative and as an individual with compassion toward women suffering with endometriosis. You have a great record for championing healthcare for your constituents, and I would be proud to march beside you that day. For more information regarding the march, please visit: http://www.millionwomenmarch2014.org

Thank you very much for your kind consideration.

Sincerely, 
Casey Berna

Monday, January 20, 2014

What #Endomarch2014 Means to Me Personally

Hey Everyone!
  First of all, I am SO EXCITED to see fellow bloggers coming together for the Million Women March for Endometriosis. If you are just hearing about the Bloggers Unite for Endomarch 2014, or you have not done your first blog yet, have no fear, it is not too late! Come along and join us!
  For this week's blog post I decided to do a video on why I am Endomarching on March 13th in our nation's capital. The endomarch team is looking for women to make videos just like this one. There are a few parameters you will need to fill so there is a theme running htrough all of the videos. I will post them below. Here is why I am endomarching, I can't wait to hear why you are endomarching!
 
 
Here is what the Video documentary team needs you to say! 
1. Hi, My name is ___________
 
2. I  have suffered from endometriosis for ______ number of years.
3. I’m Endomarching because _________­­­­­­­
4. I hope my story will move others to join our cause.

5. Endometriosis: Time to end the silence.
 
If you have any questions, feel free to email me, caseyberna@gmail.com or the video team
endomarch.video@gmail.com ! Also, feel free to write the blog post out as well!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, January 13, 2014

Bloggers Unite for Endomarch: Week 1- Basic Info: EndoMarch 2014


I advocated last year for RESOLVE. Cannot wait to go to Capitol Hill for Endometriosis Awareness.
 
What: Endomarch 2014 is an endometriosis awareness event that is happening in cities worldwide.

When: March 13th

Who: Dr. Cameran Nezhat and his team have worked hard to organize this movement. They have recruited volunteers from all over the world to help make this happen. On March 13th, professionals, patients and their loved ones will come together to stand united with the desire to improve the quality of life for patients everywhere with endometriosis.

Where: The march will take place in cites all over the world.  You can see what is happening in your city on the Endomarch website. I will be attending the Endomarch in Washington D.C.  There is a full day of events taking place that goes into the evening. The staff has secured hotel discounts for participants traveling into D.C. and even some airlines have participated in giving participants discounts. All of that information can be found under “files” on their facebook page.

Why: Endometriosis is a disease that effects at least 1 in every ten 10 women, yet it takes on average ten years for women to get diagnosed due to the lack of education and awareness in the medical field and the general population. There is very little in the way of public awareness for the disease. Women with endometriosis often suffer in silence. Women often are left misunderstood and lose their jobs, friends and the support of their family while left in chronic, debilitating pain. Women lose their organs, their pregnancies, and their fertility as well. Endometriosis has a profound impact on the lives of its patients and those near to the patient. The only way we will see improvement in awareness of the disease, money raised to find better diagnostic and treatment for endometriosis is to come together as a community and make some noise. We need to be heard.

How: Register to attend the march today. Contact a march precinct manager to see what is happening near you. Come join me in Washington D.C.. I will be giving out hugs to all the ladies I connect with online. I can’t wait!

Friday, January 10, 2014

Become an Endomarch Blogger and Spread Awareness




10 weeks of Blogging until the EndoMarch

Thank you for your interest in being an EndoMarch Blogger! You don't have to be going to the Endomarch to participate, you just have to be passionate about helping others and spreading awareness. To participate start completing the following blog tasks starting the week of January 12th.  Make sure to always add a link to the Endomarch website after every blog. If you are active on twitter and facebook, please share your blogs on social media. We hope to have an official “endomarch button” in the near future. Check back to grab it to add it to your blog. Thank you for participating and spreading awareness.

Week 1 January 12th-18th

Basic Info Post: The What When Why Who How of the Endomarch. Check the Endomarch website for details.

Week 2 January 19th-25th

What does the Endomarch mean to you personally?

Week 3 January 26th- February 1st

Write a Letter to Your Congressional Representative about Endometriosis, the Endomarch and why he/she should participate. For an example letter check back here to see my post. Click here to see who your representatives are.

Week 4 February 2nd-February 8th

Interview someone you know who is going to the march and post the interview. If you don’t know anyone else who going, have a friend interview you and post it. If you are not going and do not know someone who is, write about a celebrity that has endometriosis, or find a story online.

Week 5 February 9th- February 15th

Pick one of the goals of the march and write about how it would change the lives of endometriosis patients. Check out the goals here.

Week 6 February 16th- 22nd

Why is it important for the world to recognize endometriosis?

Week 7 February 23rd- March 1st

The Endomarch is three weeks away….How are you feeling about going? What are you most looking forward to/most nervous about! If you are not going to the Endomarch, write about ways you can spread endometriosis awareness in your immediate community.

Week 8 March 2nd- March 8th

Did you tell your friends, family, co-workers that you are going to the march? What were their reactions? If you are not going to the Endomarch you can answer, do your friends family and co-workers know about your struggle with endometriosis? Are they supportive?

Week 9 March 9th-13th

Last minute blog before the trip!  What are you packing? Do you have plans to meet up with any other women? Are you volunteering? What are your expectations of the day? What are you most looking forward to/nervous about?

Week 10 March 14th -22nd

Write about your experience at the Endomarch.  Post a picture and tell your story. What did the Endomarch mean to you?


Please remember to share your blog on social media sites. If you are participating in the Endomarch Blogger Initiative please email me your name, where you are from and a link to your website so I can post a master list of all of those participating. You can email me the information at CaseyBerna@gmail.com or simple leave it in the comment section of the block.