Press Conference by AIE and SIGO launches Awareness Week in Italy

26 FEBRUARY 2008

The Associazione Italiana Endometriosi (AIE) in collaboration with the Italian Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (SIGO) held a press conference in Rome today to officially launch Awareness week.

Awareness week has a very strong symbolic significance. A woman who is ‘aware’ will have the necessary know-how to be able to recognise any suspicious symptoms and therefore consult an expert physician without wasting time

said Jacqueline Veit to the journalists attending the conference.

Professor Giorgio Vittori, president SIGO, and Jacqueline Veit, president, AIE, at the press conference

Not being able to continue to study or the loss of a job, to have to abandon a profession or career, obviously have a great negative impact on a woman’s life both at a personal and economic level. This has repercussions on society as a whole. This is why we believe that a law to safeguard the rights of women suffering from endometriosis is essential.

Veit went on to say, reminding participants of the excellent results obtained so far with the petition to support the law which has so far arrived at 35.000 signatures.

Veit underlined that for women who suffer from endometriosis the AIE are calling for:

• Recognition of endometriosis as a significant healthcare concern and chronic disease;
• Government support of awareness-raising activities, including information campaigns targeting the public, health professionals, and legislators;
• Inclusion of prevention of endometriosis in school sexual health programmes;
• Centres of excellence that would work in synergy with local centres, and which would train surgeons;
• More basic research into the cause, prevention and treatment of endometriosis;
• Formal recognition of the second week in March as Endometriosis Awareness Week;
• Support of requests for economic support to help women and their families to cover health expenses.

Above all it is vital to knock down the wall of silence and prejudice that, even now in 2008 still surrounds this disease condemning women to pass many years doubting themselves as they are not believed or understood by the people that should really be there to help them.

Professor Giorgio Vittori, President of SIGO, stated that:

The role of the gynaecologist is fundamental. The physician must increasingly become someone with whom the patient can confide in, knowing that she will be listened to and understood.

Professor Vittori concluded by stating that:

The partnership of SIGO alongside the Associazione Italiana will consequently create a relationship based on trust and therefore it will be possible to choose the best possible therapy.

The AIE will combat the prejudice that surrounds endometriosis, promote research, and increase awareness to the advantage of millions of women.