An endometriosis centre in east London is dedicating an entire week to raising awareness of a condition and reducing the wait times for its complex surgery.
Endometriosis is where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places - most commonly elsewhere in the pelvic cavity.
The long-term condition - which can cause inflammation, pain and scar tissue - affects women of all ages and while some don’t have any symptoms, for others it can be debilitating.
From July 18 to 24, the Romford Endometriosis Centre at Queen’s Hospital will hold activities for the public and the primary care community.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) has also provided personnel and theatre availability during that week to reduce the backlog on the endometriosis surgery waiting list by around half.
Lead consultant at the centre, Yemi Coker, said: “This awareness week represents an opportunity to raise the profile of both endometriosis and the impact it has on those with the condition, as well as the excellent work of the team.
“It also provides a focus for treating those patients who have experienced long waits for treatment because of the Covid-19 pandemic."
A public open day will be held on July 23 at King George Hospital in Goodmayes, supported by Endometriosis UK.
The Living with Endometriosis event will offer a chance to learn more about the condition and meet the team, with presentations and a live Q&A.
People can also meet members of the Romford endometriosis support group chaired by Sanchia Alasia, which helps women in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge.
At another event during the dedicated week, GPs and doctors with special interest in endometriosis will be invited to watch Romford’s endometriosis team performing live surgery online.
The endometriosis team will then deliver presentations, teaching and Q&A sessions for the medical community.
There will also be a session with the BHRUT chief executive on July 20 where the endometriosis team and Romford support group leader will meet with councillors from Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge to discuss the importance of women’s health.
People interested in attending the public open day can visit https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/events to book.
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