QUEEN’S PARK — Marit Stiles (Davenport) and Suze Morrison (Toronto Centre) said today begins Ontario’s first ever Endometriosis Awareness Month, after their bill to establish the month of March as an annual opportunity to raise awareness around the disease passed in the legislature in December.
“A huge congratulations is due to the advocates who fought to make March Endometriosis Awareness Month a reality in Ontario,” Morrison said. “It is long overdue that we bring awareness to this common yet often misunderstood disease, which we know affects at least one in 10 women, trans and non-binary people who menstruate, and can cause symptoms and conditions including chronic pelvic pain, excessive menstrual pain and infertility.
“Breaking down societal shame and stigma around menstruation and women, trans and non-binary peoples’ reproductive health is essential — not just in the general public, but among health professionals, to ensure that individuals who suffer with endometriosis get better and faster diagnosis and treatment.”
Stiles said Endometriosis Awareness Month will help encourage open conversations and better public education around endometriosis, as well as what constitutes a ‘normal’ period.
“No one should suffer in silence, or face barriers to accessing the health care they need to treat this disease, which we know can negatively impact one’s quality of life and self-esteem, or cause long absences from work or school,” Stiles said.
“Today is a victory for all who suffer and advocate for Endometriosis awareness — all those “Endo Warriors” — and our work is only just beginning. Now that March is proclaimed as Endometriosis Awareness Month, the work must continue to acknowledge and address the substantial health burdens caused by endometriosis.
To that end, we are calling on the Ford government to take further action by:
- Launching a provincial action plan on Endometriosis, with an outline of goals and objectives to address the disease.
- Providing equitable access to Endometriosis diagnosis, management and care.
- Funding specific research on the causes and impacts of Endometriosis, uterine fibroids and chronic pelvic pain on BIPOC communities.
- Following in the path of New Zealand by introducing more comprehensive and earlier education about menstruation and ‘what is a normal period’ in our schools.