So this it what we call a constituency week, which should mean time at home for work in the region. In my case I have to go back to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday for a Parliamentary Forum of Parliamentarians from all over northern Europe and beyond, including Russia and Canada and, in principle, the USA. Something I have wanted to see happen for many years as I have a particular interest in the Arctic and safeguarding its ever more fragile environment. However the days before and after my trip give me a bit more time for short runs than normal and there’s my routine long one at the weekend.
We are now starting to publicise my run a bit more. One initial press release has gone out, which leads to a piece on Community Newswire. Then on Friday, when the Parliament organises a press lunch with regional journalists in Leeds, I find out that local TV has seen it and are interested in doing a piece with me. This is brilliant news.
However the point of the coverage is to get more donations, so that we can do something about Endo. I shall put in the twenty pounds given me as expenses by Hessle U3A, for whom I was a guest speaker the other week. They said I could have it for a charity of my choice. So thanks to them and that will take us just over the £1000 mark.
If you are reading this blog, please think of making a donation. Think of the many women in pain, of their families and indeed of the children they might like to have one day. It took a long time, (years) before I was prepared to talk publically about what I went through. That is the problem with Endo its not like other diseases you can’t see the visible effects - and who wants to talk about bad period pain or other women’s troubles? It is something many women feel they just have to get on with. They delay seeking treatment or when they do are often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. Whilst it is getting better, we need to do far more to understand the causes and to find a real cure. This is against a background where the number of women reporting the symptoms seems to be on the rise. This cannot go unchecked.
Odd that again it has been a week here where we have had yet another report on women’s health in the news telling us that even one drink a day is too much for us. Sometimes it seems as if Eve is forever to be punished! One day I want to open a newspaper or listen to the morning radio and hear some good news that there has been a break through on Endo research - please give generously. Thank you!
Diana Wallis
PLEASE SPONSOR DIANA IN THE LONDON MARATHON:
www.justgiving.com/dianawallisendowerf
Tags: diana wallis, endometriosis, european parliament, london marathon, werf, world endometriosis research foundation