The Endometriosis Foundation of America, Inc. (EndoFound, EFA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing awareness, promoting education and sponsoring research of
endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease of the female reproductive system in which cells similar to those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. Most often this is on the ovaries, f ...
. EndoFound’s fourteen-member board of directors, as of 2020, includes patients, scientists, and physicians.
It has a staff of eight as of 2020,
and reported $1,359,233 revenues and $759,941 expenses in 2018.
The society has its headquarters in
New York, NY
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
History and activities
The Endometriosis Foundation of America was founded in 2009 by
Tamer Seckin and
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Parvati Lakshmi (; born September 1, 1970) is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host. She has hosted the cooking competition program ''Top Chef'' on Bravo continuously since season 2 ( ...
.
The Foundation promotes
patient advocacy
Patient advocacy is a process in health care concerned with advocacy for patients, survivors, and caregivers. The patient advocate may be an individual or an organization, concerned with healthcare standards or with one specific group of disor ...
,
education for the medical community and the public, awareness of
endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease of the female reproductive system in which cells similar to those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. Most often this is on the ovaries, f ...
, surgical training, and
research
Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
.
It sponsors yearly conferences for patients, their friends, and physicians on advancing the science and surgery of endometriosis.
Its
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
high school, public awareness programs educate school nurses, students, and teachers about endometriosis.
[
EndoFound sponsors an annual scientific and surgical symposium for patients, scientists, and physicians and the Blossom Ball.] Videos from the scientific and surgical symposium as well as publications are online. The Blossom Ball includes women who had endometriosis such as Susan Sarandon
Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...
, Padma Lakshmi
Padma Parvati Lakshmi (; born September 1, 1970) is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host. She has hosted the cooking competition program ''Top Chef'' on Bravo continuously since season 2 ( ...
,[ ]Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...
, Halsey, and Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham (, born May 13, 1986) is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is known as the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series ''Girls'' (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy Award nominations a ...
.
The annual Harry Reich Awards are presented at the Blossom Ball and go to physicians and scientists for medical practice
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...
, research
Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
, and patient advocacy
Patient advocacy is a process in health care concerned with advocacy for patients, survivors, and caregivers. The patient advocate may be an individual or an organization, concerned with healthcare standards or with one specific group of disor ...
. The award is named for Harry Reich, a gynecologic
Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...
laparoscopist, who performed many firsts in surgery.
References
Further reading
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* {{cite news , title= Invisible no more: Artist paints her endometriosis journey to raise awareness of misunderstood disease , author= Zorker, Jessi , work= Cronkite News , location= Phoenix, Ariz. , date= May 8, 2020 , url= https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2020/05/08/artist-paints-endometriosis-awareness/ , accessdate= September 4, 2020
External links
EndoFound Home page
Medical associations based in the United States
Obstetrics and gynaecology organizations