It's ok to talk about it!

I have just returned from New York conference. That was a long weekend I must say. I was very anxious to go there and then very anxious to come back to give you a detailed report of what I saw, what I heard and what I learned. 

It felt extremely profound to be surrounded with extraordinary people for these couple days. Intellect was in the air! I felt like taking some extra tank of this air and filling it for later. It was an overwhelming feeling which I would love to prolong for as long as I could.

There were professors and doctors from all over the world! It was amazing to see and listen to the debate on this epidemy of endometriosis. Each of this individual had introduced their long bumpy road of research and studies. They seemed very concerned and understanding of all the women of all ages and nationalities.

Dr. Seckin is among a very limited number of accredited gynecologic surgeons in the United States who possess advanced training for the Deep Laparoscopic Excision of Endometriosis. Although others perform basic laparoscopic surgery, few have the experience needed to execute the meticulous techniques required to sharply dissect and remove the all of Endometriosis from superficial to deeply infiltrating disease. Over the course of more than two decades of treating thousands of women, a vast majority of his patients have experienced long-term relief and as well as no recurrence of the disease in his patients.
Dr. Seckin has worked with renowned surgeon Harry Reich, MD and has pioneered several surgical techniques including the excision of Endometriosis, bloodless myomectomy for the treatment of fibroids, advances in hysterectomy and oophorectomy, and many more. He has also broken new ground in the use of translational medicine for Endometriosis, through the advent of progressive graphical technologies, which are becoming essential tools for healthcare practitioners and researchers alike. Dr. Seckin has also developed and patented various surgical instruments for the exigent excision of Endometriosis, as well as authored countless contributions in leading medical publications.
With actress/model and author Padma Lakshmi, Dr. Seckin is the Co-Founder and Medical Director of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA). The EFA is a charitable organization dedicated to educating physicians and women about the disease and the need for early diagnosis; additionally, the Foundation will support research on the causes of and successful treatments for Endometriosis.
In addition to helping patients from around the world through his surgical, academic and charitable endeavors, Dr. Seckin is also a faculty member and active speaker on Endometriosis at medical conferences worldwide.

Padma Lakshmi is an Indian American model, actress and cookbook author, as well as co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America. She has been the host of the US reality television program Top Chef since season two in 2006, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program. In 2010, Top Chef won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.

Linda C. Giudice, MD, PHD, MSc Robert B. Jaffe Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, received the Journal of Women's Health Award for Outstanding Achievement in Women's Health Research at the Awards Gala at Women's Health 2013. The 21st Annual Congress in Washington, DC.

Byllye Yvonne Avery (born October 20, 1937) is an American health care activist, who has worked to improve the welfare ofAfrican-American women by creating the National Black Women's Health Project in 1981. She has received the MacArthur Foundation's Fellowship for Social Contribution and the Gustav O. Lienhard Award for the Advancement of Health Care from theInstitute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science, among other awards. Avery was born in DeLand, Florida and studied psychology at Talledega College, earning her MA degree from the University of Florida in 1969. In 1995 Avery received a L.H.D. from Bates College. Avery produced On Becoming a Woman: Mothers and Daughters Talking to Each Other (1987), a documentary film which features African-American women and their daughters talking about menstruation, sex, and love.[citation needed] In 1990, Avery, along with 15 other African American women and men, formed the African-American Women for Reproductive Freedom. Avery appeared as one of the interviewees in the PBS documentary Makers.

I have carefully watched and listened and I must tell you that I felt like this powerful bunch of people is not yet enough to crash it! One of the professors started his speech this way: “ Guys- endometriosis is CRAZY!!!, it is really crazy!!!” And it’s very hard to disagree. Hundred eighty million of diagnosed, still more to come and each individual is a different case. There are cases of severe endometriosis with no symptoms of it. Can it get any crazier?

How smart do you have to be, how many diplomas do you need to have, how many more hours and hours of research do you need to contribute to come up with the answer all the woman are looking for: we have the cure. Unfortunately, I didn’t hear this yet and also nobody held is as a secret, it was officially admitted there is no cure yet.

Many things were told on surgery and removing or making the symptoms lesser. No one though had a clue or an idea how to stop this craziness. After this conference I came to a conclusion that the knowledge on endo, however it may appear to be great, it is still at its very embryonic form.

I personally believe that the greatest asset the intellectual people have is all the woman with the smallest symptoms of endometriosis.  

Yes ladies! You are very important, and valuable, we need you! You are even more important when you talk and share and open up. It is ok to talk about it! And it’s not ok to go alone through the death valley with no hope of drop of rain. It’s unbelievably important to share your story. Would you take it more seriously if I tell you that your story can rescue one life? Would you feel good if you were the reason why other women know more? 

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of sharing and power of creating community, collaboration and interexchange.  I don’t know of any successful company, accomplishment or singular individual who is just solely responsible for success.

I believe sharing good things multiplies them, sharing pain and sorrow divides it and makes it lesser. Maybe not necessary physically in our case, but it gives us feeling of not being lonely or abounded in these complex situation. Hence I will again encourage you to tell us your story. Tell us no matter how painful it may be, it may be a story which may contribute to save one more soul.

I am grateful for anyone who shared it with me. Each one of them was individual, each one of them was special, and each one of them was moving. I want you to remember that the more we uncover the more evidence we deliver. Who could do more than you yourself? You are a living proof and great peace of information. This is my biggest conclusion after this conference.

I would love you to join me in a journey of looking for those who are out there alone and scared to get out and name this “something” eating them alive. I think we owe them their quality of life. I think it’s not ok to know and not tell. It’s a secret that must be revelled, for the sake of them, future generation and our very own conscious.

All photos Fotograf Poznań EWA SO.