Actress Julianne Hough Wants Women to Speak Up for Endo in March

Actress Julianne Hough Wants Women to Speak Up for Endo in March
Hough
Julianne Hough
Creditt: PRNewsfoto/AbbVie

Actress Julianne Hough is encouraging women with endometriosis to share their symptoms and push for better care by taking part in AbbVie’s SpeakENDO awareness campaign.

The campaign is aimed at women who want to learn more about endometriosis, women trying to find out what could be causing their symptoms, and women already diagnosed with the condition.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates that endometriosis affects one in 10 women of reproductive age. It is most often diagnosed in the 30s and 40s.

Even though it is fairly common, diagnosis can take up to 10 years. SpeakENDO wants to share information about the condition, real testimonies of women living with it, and resources that women can use in conversations with healthcare professionals. The campaign offers a social media channel, #SpeakENDO, where women can share videos or post their story, so that everyone can participate.

During Endometriosis Awareness Month in March, Hough wants women to learn to Speak Up for Endo. The goal of raising awareness is to shorten the time to diagnosis and  improve the quality of life of women who are not receiving proper care for their condition.

Signing up for SpeakENDO.com emails, tips and resources will trigger a donation to the Endometriosis Foundation of America.

“I have endometriosis, and for the past year, I’ve been speaking out to encourage women to ‘get in the know’ about endometriosis and raise awareness of this chronic and painful disease,” Hough in a press release. “The painful symptoms associated with endometriosis can be hard to explain, but with proper knowledge and empowerment, women can start to ‘speak endo’ to their doctor, family members, boss and friends, said Hough, who is also a dancer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer.

In addition to SpeakENDO initiatives, there will be a Worldwide Endometriosis March on March 24 that you can attend, wherever you are located.

San Francisco, Washington, New York and Atlanta are some of the U.S. cities where events will be held.

You can start your own event in any corner of the world. Here’s the information you need to participate.