The ERC wishes to thank everyone who participated in the "Fight to End Endometriosis" Concert and thanks to Susan Keaton and her team of volunteers for organizing the event.

Purchase tickets for this concert event - just $20.00!!

Make donation for this event if you cannot attend!!

 

Note: $5 minimum donation required. Also, you do NOT need to have a PayPal account to make a donation or purchase tickets but it does ensure a completely secure process. If you experience any problems, please email us.

Dustin Wilkes (singer & songwriter) & Friends, Organize an
Endometriosis Awareness & Fundraising Event

Dustin Wilkes (singer & songwriter) along with other Country Music Friends, Susan Keaton and her daughter Melissa, who has suffered with endometriosis since the age of 8, are organizing an event to raise awareness and money to help in the fight against endometriosis. “Fight to End Endometriosis” has partnered with the Endometriosis Research Center (ERC) and the Center for Endometriosis Care (CEC) for this fun-filled concert event. Sarah Covich, an agent of American General Life, has also sponsored the event. This concert event is to be held June 9, 2009 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds from 4 pm – 11 pm. You can show your support for this event by attending, donating financially or volunteering your time to help at the event.

Susan Keaton’s daughter Melissa has lived with endometriosis for 15 years. Through a successful surgery in 2008, she remains pain-free but stills remains committed to raising awareness for this disease. Bringing together the Country Music Community and Endometriosis communities, “Fight to End Endometriosis” hopes to raise and contribute money to support the ERC’s patient support and advocacy, research facilitation and awareness efforts.  The ERC, an established 501(c)3 tax-exempt, tax-deductible organization, was founded by early 1997 to address the growing international need for Endometriosis research, education, awareness and support.  Unlike similar organizations, the ERC is free for all those concerned with the disease and is supported solely through charitable donations and fundraising efforts.

Endometriosis is an incurable reproductive and immunological disease afflicting over 7 million women and teens in the United States alone with an estimated 70 million more worldwide.  A leading cause of female infertility, pregnancy loss, chronic pelvic pain and gynecologic surgery, the disease also accounts for nearly half of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the U.S. annually.  It is more prevalent than breast cancer, yet continues to be largely treated as an insignificant, obscure ailment.  With Endometriosis, tissue like that which lines the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside the womb in other areas of the body.  Normally, the endometrium is shed each month through menses; however, with Endometriosis, these aberrant implants have no way of leaving the body.  The implants still break down and bleed, but result in far different effects than in women and girls without the disease: painful internal bleeding, degeneration of blood and tissue, inflammation of the surrounding areas, and formation of adhesions and scar tissue all occur.  Depending on the location of the growths, interference with the normal functions of the bowel, bladder, intestines and/or other areas of the pelvic cavity can also occur.  Endometriosis has even been found at such extrapelvic locations as the lungs and brain.

The disease knows no racial or socioeconomic barriers, and can affect women of all ages from adolescence to post-menopause.  Studies have shown that Endometriosis may actually have an even bigger impact on younger patients: one such study discovered that in patients under 22 years of age, the rate of disease recurrence was double that of older women (35% versus 19%). The study also revealed that the disease behaves differently in younger women, leading researchers to believe it is a different form of Endometriosis altogether.  Some researchers feel that symptomatic, adolescent-onset Endometriosis is most often a lifelong problem that will progress to severe fibrotic disease.  Important research over the past decade has also shown an elevated risk of certain cancers and autoimmune disorders in those with Endometriosis, as well as malignant changes within the disease itself.

Despite today's age of medical advances, researchers remain unsure as what actually causes Endometriosis, though studies point to multifactorial genetic/immunological origins.  There is no definitive cure for the insidious illness, despite the continued propagation of such myths that “hysterectomy, pregnancy and/or menopause” are curative.  Invasive surgery remains the only certain means of diagnosis, and current therapies remain extremely limited and often carry significantly negative and long-lasting side effects; none offer long-term relief.  Despite the hallmark symptoms associated with Endometriosis, the average delay in diagnosis remains an astounding 9 years, and a patient will seek the counsel of 5+ physicians before her pain is adequately addressed. Once diagnosed, it is not unusual for a patient to undergo repeat surgeries and embark on many different medical therapies in an attempt to treat her symptoms. 

While some patients may not have obvious symptoms, pain is often the first hallmark sign.  Pelvic pain at any point in a woman or girl's menstrual cycle, infertility, pain with sexual activity, gastrointestinal difficulties, urinary tract difficulties, fatigue, allergies, and immune system dysfunction can all be indicative of the disease and should be investigated.

To read more of Melissa’s story or find out how you can purchase tickets for the concert or donate, visit the event website at www.end-endo.com or email Susan Keaton at info@end-endo.com.

To find out more about the Endometriosis Research Center, please visit www.endocenter.org.  For more information on the Center for Endometriosis Care (CEC), please visit www.centerforendo.com.

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