Endometriosis Community Program seeks to help BIPOC women

BY PAUL JUNOR

The launch of the Endometriosis Community Program (ECP) on March 24^th, 2021 occurred during Endometriosis Month.

The brochure identifies endometriosis as a painful reproductive condition with symptoms of: painful periods, pain with sex, bowel and bladder disorder, neuropathy and infertility, according to the website, www.wombcareclinic.ca.

Amoy Jacques, registered kinesiologist and public health researcher and Joanne Ukposidolo, registered pelvic floor physiotherapist founded ECP.

In my interview with them on Friday, April 2nd, 2021, Amoy who has a Masters of Public Public Health states that it was because of her personal and professional experiences that motivated her to develop this program. She has had challenges with uterine fibroids. The ECP will provide a brave and safe space for black women to find a supportive space.

Joanne emphasizes that the ECP is targeted to BIPOC communities to ensure that their medical issues are addressed equitably, fairly and sensitively with compassion and love.

As a member of a religious community, she believes it is important that women move beyond an identity of suffering to embracing solutions that involve medical interventions.

The Endometriosis Community Program will focus on the following area:

Increasing your knowledge of the female reproductive system, understanding your symptoms, providing you with the best tools for management, and building resilience along your journey. This is meant to be informative and enriching for the participants.

Topics to be covered are: female physiology, pathophysiology of endometriosis, symptoms of endometriosis, goal setting, communication and advocating strategies, lifestyle management, exercise management and building resilience.

This six-week program is intended to provide the following benefits to each participant: self-management strategies to reduce your pain, navigation of the healthcare system, how to get the best outcomes for your endo-situation, access to a team of healthcare experts who want you to thrive in your endo-journey, resources to manage your symptoms, access to a supportive community and is taught through a cultural humility lens.

Stacy Savary as an endo-warrior will be involved in the ECP as a patient advocate. She describes her personal struggles in her book, “The Perfect Storm” which was released in 2020. She recalled after seven years of marriage and failure to get pregnant she was totally devastated. Only after pleading with her surgeon was she able to have her first surgery in October, 2017. It resulted in sixteen fibroids and two large cysts being extracted. It was unfortunate that it was at thirty-six years of age that she discovered that she had endometriosis. She is on a mission. She writes in her book,

“If you feel something in your gut that something is wrong with you, please seek the right help. If you continue to fight for yourself and advocate for yourself, you will see your way through any challenges. It took seven to ten years for me to get diagnosed.” Stacy’s openness, transparency and vulnerability in sharing her personal stories will help many BIPOC women to become proactive and informed.

This no doubt will lead to awareness, knowledge and understanding of this disease.

The ECP will commence on Monday, April 12^th, 2021 and end on Monday, May 17^th,  2021 and will be offered in a virtual platform.

Registrations can be made at www.wombcareclinic.ca