As the first ENDO1000 Ambassador, Marie was delighted to take the #TALKEndo conversation and campaign to the Scottish Government recently, meeting with Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Gaelic, Kate Forbes MSP. The productive conversation provided the platform to discuss the ENDO1000 research project on endometriosis that is being led in Scotland by Professor Andrew Horne of Edinburgh University.

The meeting comes following Marie’s recent commission on women’s healthcare awareness and marketing campaign back in April 2024 with ENDO1000, (which will launch in September 2024). Marie wrote to the Scottish Government seeking more support for women’s health, in particular…

• Reclassification of Endometriosis as a chronic condition
• Increased funding for Scottish based endometriosis research and development projects

Marie said, “I was delighted to meet the Deputy First Minister and highlight the great work being carried out by Professor Andrew Horne and his team at the Centre for Reproductive Health – Institute for Regeneration and Repair at Edinburgh University. Having been a sufferer of Endometriosis I have taken this opportunity to highlight this deliberating condition and the effect it is having on the economy with regard to women’s employability and career prospects accompanied by the adverse physical and mental health issues it brings. We, as a country need to put our women first and I was very pleased with the pro-active and constructive conversation with the DFM.”

More information on endometriosis and ENDO1000.

Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a disease where cells similar to those lining the womb are found elsewhere in the body. Each month these cells react to the menstrual cycle resulting in inflammation, pain, and the formation of scar tissue (adhesions). The disease is active from puberty to menopause, although the impact can be felt for life.

Some key statistics…

• Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women and those assigned female of birth
• 10% of women worldwide have endometriosis – that’s 176 million worldwide
• In the UK, that’s over 1.5 million, a similar number of those affected by diabetes and asthma
• Endometriosis is thought to be the most significant cause of infertility; although many withendometriosis will be able to get pregnant naturally, infertility impacts 30% of those with the disease
• On average it takes 8 years 10 months from the first GP visit to get a diagnosis in Scotland; this is thesame as the UK average
• Endometriosis costs the UK economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and healthcare costs
• The cause of endometriosis is unknown and there is no definite cure

ENDO1000

The ENDO1000 project aims to address the critical gaps in our understanding and treatment of endometriosis, a debilitating condition affecting around 190 million women worldwide. Endometriosis causes chronic pelvic pain and a host of other distressing symptoms, severely impacting the quality of life for those affected. Currently, there is no non- invasive test for early diagnosis, and definitive diagnosis requires invasive surgery. Available treatments, such as surgery and hormone therapy, often bring temporary relief or undesirable side effects. The research seeks to revolutionise this landscape.

By recruiting 1000 participants and utilising cutting-edge technology, including smartphone apps and smartwatches, the ENDO1000 project will gather comprehensive data on symptoms, treatments, and lifestyle factors. This rich dataset, combined with home self-collected biological samples collected over two years, will enable us to discover new biomarkers for faster diagnosis and develop personalised, long-term treatment strategies. Transforming the lives of millions.

Website: www.endo1000.com