Let’s have a full house to support a PM endorsed charity
Shuffle yourself along to a game of Play Your Cards Right, a bout of Bingo, a raffle, and a quiz night, as we answer the call to help women in chronic pain.
Affecting one in ten females, endometriosis leads to severe bleeding, pelvic agony and a monthly woe of weariness so severe it leads sufferers to self-harm and dark thoughts.
All of which persuaded GP with a Special Interest in Gynaecology Dr Anita Sharma to form our charity Endometriosis Awareness North – whose main fundraiser will be held at the Rochdale Golf Club on September 18 (see close of release for details).
Monies raised will be used to support so-called “endo warriors” and their families, plus fund research into quicker diagnosis and even a cure.
“Despite being one of the most common health conditions in Britain, few people are aware of endo – and that includes doctors and nurses” said Dr Sharma. “The lack of funding means women have to wait up to ten years just to get a proper diagnosis, meaning a decade of missing out on an education and work, not being able to socialise with others, and crippling agony that nobody seems to understand.”
Dr Sharma got so exasperated at seeing patients who had their symptoms dismissed, ignored and sent home with a dose of pain killers, she formed our charity and began spreading the message to junior doctors and now Prime Minister Andy Burnham – who promised action on the issue when attending a session.
We have also just run a social media campaign called #Unheard and produced a documentary featuring warriors. These include local nurse Lucy Bowker, who said: “Endometriosis meant that I couldn’t look after my newborn baby. I was solely reliant on pain relief and staying in bed with my hot water bottle. It wasn’t a life.” (See more by going to https://endo-unheard-voices.lovable.app/#stories ).
Caused when cells that usually grow in the womb adhere to other organs in the body, endometriosis can lead to umpteen surgeries and costs the UK £8.2 billion per year in treatment and sick pay.
The fundraising event takes place at:
7pm – midnight
Friday 18 September 2026
Rochdale Golf Club
Edenfield Road
Bagslate
Rochdale
OL11 5YR
Tickets are priced at £20 and can be obtained by emailingendometriosisawarenessnorth@gmail.com
For more on what’s on, go to UPCOMINGEVENTS
Times tables our thoughts on new tests
Research carried out in Worcestershire to use saliva and gut examinations to diagnose endometriosis got our guarded welcome – and a slot in the Oldham Times – see https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/26270787.oldham-gp-welcomes-new-nhs-tests-warns-work-needed/
Endotest and Endosure are being tested to see if the need for laparoscopy, surgery to discover whether endo is present, can be avoided.
This would – it is hoped – also reduce the wait for an endometriosis diagnosis, which currently stands at around TEN years.
Our charity sees it as a huge responsibility to inform all endo warriors and their families of the very latest research as we wait for both better diagnosis tools and – a cure!
We once again thank the media for airing the issue. Their patronage of our stories has helped raise endometriosis awareness exponentially.
Don't worry, we'll flag up endo
The British International Doctors Association (BIDA) has announced the date of its next national conference.
And it takes place besides the greens of a renowned golf course!
Our charity will once again be present and pinning our hopes on changing more minds and encouraging more awareness of endometriosis.
It’s safe to say there was a FAIRWAY to go when we first presented at the gathering of overseas medics a couple of years ago. But their membership has since done presentations on pain relief and endo and fertility – all of which was pro-bono.
And their Women’s Healthcare Forum Chair, our founder Dr Anita Sharma, will of course be doing her bit.
We will have full details of the conference as and when it happens.
BIDA helps international medics to settle into life in the UK and aside from endo, also campaigns on issues such as racism in the #NHS.
Learn more about them by visiting www.bida-online.com
Make it a moving movie night
A few short days after its premiere in Yorkshire, you can now see the full version of the film “No Longer #Unheard.”
Featuring heart-rendering interviews with those battling endometriosis, it also includes a one-to-one with our founder Dr Anita Sharma – watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kP8fjHSBWM&t=12s
We have already put it on record several times, but we’ll say it again, the work of the creative media students from Shipley College is superb.
Please share the movie with everyone you can.
It is a powerful polemic on the importance of endometriosis awareness.
Find out what we're really about, on film
Click onto our brand new movie, detailing what Endometriosis Awareness North is all about Endometriosis Awareness North - YouTube
Featuring our treasured case study Courtney, it also gives medics a platform to call for quicker diagnosis of endometriosis.
With thanks to filmmakers Andrea Bertozzi and Pete Gibson Media.
Donate
We are registered with The Charity Commission. Our charity number is 1212676.
You can do your bit to research a cure to endo and support the one-in-ten women with the condition by going to our DONATE page.