Oldham doctor's campaign boosts endometriosis awareness
A grassroots campaign launched by an Oldham doctor has transformed how the town understands endometriosis, a painful condition affecting one in 10 women that was once dismissed as 'women's troubles.
Dr Anita Sharma from Chadderton founded Endometriosis Awareness North in 2021 after a young patient named Courtney Ormrod arrived at her surgery in a wheelchair, her teaching career ruined and nobody believing her pain was real.
What began as a small group of volunteers from Dr Sharma's Patient Participation Group has grown into a movement that's put endometriosis on the map-literally. Their work inspired the BAFTA-winning short film 'This is Endometriosis,' the first time the condition has been featured in an award-winning film.
But despite greater awareness, Dr Sharma warns that diagnosis times have actually increased to nearly a decade, leaving women suffering in silence. She's now planning public events for Endometriosis Awareness Month and will announce the UK's first research project on endometriosis and self-harm, led by the University of Manchester.
At a Glance
| What | Charity founded by Dr Anita Sharma raises awareness of endometriosis |
|---|---|
| Who | Dr Anita Sharma, Endometriosis Awareness North, University of Manchester |
| Where | Chadderton, Oldham town centre |
| When | Charity founded 2021, BAFTA film released recently |
| Why it matters | One in 10 women affected, diagnosis takes nearly a decade |
| What's next | Public events in March, UK research project announcement |
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