Dear Canadian endometriosis community,
At The Endometriosis Network Canada, we firmly believe that every person with endometriosis in Canada deserves access to timely diagnosis and management of their disease. Unfortunately, we know that the reality is too many people wait years to be diagnosed. The delay to diagnosis negatively impacts every aspect of life, including physical, emotional, social and financial wellbeing.
Today, I was honoured to join Julie Dabrusin, Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth, on behalf of the Honourable Mark Holland, Canada’s Minister of Health, to announce more than $1.6 million for endometriosis in Canada. I am thrilled to share that The Endometriosis Network Canada received $874,988 to support people living with endometriosis.
This historic investment is funded through Health Canada’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Fund, which was established through Budget 2021 with an initial investment of $45 million to improve access to SRH care for people in Canada who face the greatest barriers to access, with an additional commitment of $36 million through Budget 2023.
Our goal for this one-year project is to address the delay to diagnosis in three ways:
- We are launching a pan-Canadian campaign to raise public awareness of endometriosis that we expect will reach millions of people.
- We are developing curriculum enrichment materials to support young people of all genders to learn about menstrual health and endometriosis, which we will distribute to educators across the country
- We are creating evidence-based resources for people living with endometriosis that we will share with healthcare providers and community organizations.
Each of these initiatives will be bilingual, so that more people in Canada can have access to information about endometriosis.
At The Endometriosis Network Canada, one of our core values is honouring the individual journey, and while every person’s journey to diagnosis is unique, we know that low awareness, a lack of understanding, taboos, and stigma about endometriosis symptoms among healthcare providers and the public at large are key factors in delayed diagnosis. We also know that there are few supports for people to navigate their endometriosis journey, including diagnosis and management. This is especially true for marginalized groups – including Indigenous and racialized people, members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, migrants, newcomers, people with disabilities or other complex health concerns, women, and youth – who often face discrimination when they try to access the healthcare they need.
We’re proud that our work will be guided by ten Endo Ambassadors, whose role is to bring a voice to, and address concerns put forth by, individuals with endometriosis from communities that have been disinvested, as well as historically and intentionally excluded in Canada.
We’re also proud that the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence (CanSAGE) is partnering with us to provide medical subject matter expertise and plans to lead future work targeting health care provider training on endometriosis. We believe that when people with endometriosis partner with allies in healthcare and government, real change is possible.
Finally, we’re beyond grateful to our The Endometriosis Network Canada team members and all the volunteers who gave their time, expertise, and dedication to making our successful application for funding possible and for the team at the SRH fund for their guidance and support.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my gratitude to the Canadian endometriosis community for your support. We look forward to sharing updates with you as our work progresses. Together our voices are making a difference and paving the way for a future where people with endometriosis can access the care they deserve. Our collective efforts are addressing this terrible disease and ultimately building a more compassionate, inclusive, and informed society.
Katie Luciani (She/Her/Elle)
Executive Director
The Endometriosis Network Canada