Our mission is to increase endometriosis awareness, fund landmark research, provide advocacy and support for patients, and educate the public and medical community.
Founders: Padma Lakshmi, Tamer Seckin, MD
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William  Croyle

William Croyle

William Croyle is a former writer with the Cincinnati Enquirer. He is the author of 11 books, including co-author with Tamer Seckin, MD, of The Doctor Will See You Now: Recognizing and Treating Endometriosis and EndoMEtriosis: A Guide for Girls.

EndoFound Launching College Ambassador Program at More Than Two Dozen Schools Nationwide

EndoFound Launching College Ambassador Program at More Than Two Dozen Schools Nationwide

Several college students and campus organizations contacted EndoFound this year about bringing endometriosis educational and fundraising events to their schools. EndoFound has responded by creating the ENPOWR College Ambassador Program, which…

NIH Continues to Shine a Light on Endometriosis, Hosts Roundtable Featuring EndoFound Ambassador

NIH Continues to Shine a Light on Endometriosis, Hosts Roundtable Featuring EndoFound Ambassador

Nearly 650 individuals watched the National Institutes of Health’s online endometriosis roundtable “Beyond the Lesion: Charting New Paths” live on Aug. 19. This 90-minute discussion with top experts is one of several the NIH…

After Six Surgeries and Decades of Endometriosis Pain, Singer Amy Annelle is Finally on a Healing Path

After Six Surgeries and Decades of Endometriosis Pain, Singer Amy Annelle is Finally on a Healing Path

Amy Annelle may not be a household name, but millions have heard her voice, and millions more can relate to her story. Annelle’s cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Buckskin Stallion Blues” was prominently featured in the 2017…

NIH Offers $3 Million in Cash Prizes to Improve the Diagnosis of Endometriosis

NIH Offers $3 Million in Cash Prizes to Improve the Diagnosis of Endometriosis

The National Institutes of Health has put $3 million in cash up for grabs in the RADx Tech ACT ENDO Challenge. RADx—Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics—is an NIH initiative designed to “speed innovation in the development,…

Team EndoStrong Preparing for TCS NYC Marathon in November, Sets Goal to Raise Record $250,000

Team EndoStrong Preparing for TCS NYC Marathon in November, Sets Goal to Raise Record $250,000

EndoFound’s Team EndoStrong set a goal of raising $200,000 in last year’s TCS New York City Marathon. They raised $240,000.  “And I want to blow that number out of the water this year,” said Clare Murphy, in her…

EndoFound Joins EndoRise, an Initiative Dedicated to Endometriosis Awareness and Health, for Kickoff Event

EndoFound Joins EndoRise, an Initiative Dedicated to Endometriosis Awareness and Health, for Kickoff Event

A kickoff event for EndoRise, a new initiative designed to “improve awareness and health outcomes in Connecticut while driving research breakthroughs that will impact women across the nation and beyond,” was held on June 6 at The…

ROSE Study Enters Its Second Decade with Significant Progress and Hope for Endometriosis Patients

ROSE Study Enters Its Second Decade with Significant Progress and Hope for Endometriosis Patients

At EndoFound’s annual Blossom Ball on May 3, Christine Metz, PhD, and Peter Gregersen, MD, were honored with the 2nd Annual Women’s Reproductive Health and Endometriosis Industry Award. The professors at the Feinstein Institutes’ Institute…

Endofound Awards Five Organizations $50,000 Each for Endometriosis Research

Endofound Awards Five Organizations $50,000 Each for Endometriosis Research

After reviewing a record 61 grant applications, EndoFound’s Scientific Advisory Board has chosen its 2024 winners. Grants have been awarded to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California; Morehouse…

Teenager Stands Up for Herself After Years of Endometriosis Symptoms, Encourages Others to Do the Same - Hallie Fischer’s Endo Story

Teenager Stands Up for Herself After Years of Endometriosis Symptoms, Encourages Others to Do the Same - Hallie Fischer’s Endo Story

None of the five doctors Hallie Fischer had seen over seven years offered her relief for her debilitating endometriosis symptoms. Before visiting her sixth doctor last fall, Fischer sent her all of her medical records and asked her to read…

Endometriosis CARE Act Reintroduced at the Capitol, EndoFound Is There to Support the Cause

Endometriosis CARE Act Reintroduced at the Capitol, EndoFound Is There to Support the Cause

The Endometriosis CARE Act was reintroduced across from the House steps outside the U.S. Capitol on Thursday morning at a 15-minute press conference. EndoFound’s scientific and medical director, Dr. Dan Martin, was one of the speakers. …

Chef at Sea Seeks to Inspire Women by Sharing Endometriosis Story, Funky Chef Jacket Designs  - Hannah Staddon’s Endo Story

Chef at Sea Seeks to Inspire Women by Sharing Endometriosis Story, Funky Chef Jacket Designs - Hannah Staddon’s Endo Story

Hannah Staddon was 24 when she had her first fainting episode from endometriosis in 2017. Making the situation more dire was the lack of medical treatment immediately accessible. She was isolated in the Atlantic Ocean, working as a chef on…

Distinguished Gynecologist Who Founded Europe’s First Menopause Clinic Honored with Harry Reich Award

Distinguished Gynecologist Who Founded Europe’s First Menopause Clinic Honored with Harry Reich Award

Dr. Philippe Koninckx has received several awards in an illustrious medical career spanning nearly 50 years, including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Distinguished Surgeon Award for endoscopic surgery and endometriosis…

Endometriosis Expert and Former Head of Austrian Endometriosis Center Receives Harry Reich Award

Endometriosis Expert and Former Head of Austrian Endometriosis Center Receives Harry Reich Award

Dr. Jörg Keckstein’s career in gynecology stretches into six decades, and over the last 40 years, he’s become a premier worldwide endometriosis specialist. At EndoFound’s Blossom Ball on May 3 in New York City, he was…

Bindi Irwin Shares Her Endometriosis Story in Detail as She Prepares to Receive EndoFound’s Blossom Award

Bindi Irwin Shares Her Endometriosis Story in Detail as She Prepares to Receive EndoFound’s Blossom Award

On March 7, 2023, Australian television personality and conservationist Bindi Irwin shared on Instagram that she’d been diagnosed with endometriosis and had surgery four days earlier. It was the first time Irwin had spoken publicly about…

Special EndoTV Episode Features Two Renowned Endometriosis Specialists Leading into 2024 International Medical Conference

Special EndoTV Episode Features Two Renowned Endometriosis Specialists Leading into 2024 International Medical Conference

EndoFound’s 15th Annual International Medical Conference will be in New York City this Thursday and Friday, May 2 and 3. Nearly three dozen speakers will discuss all aspects of endometriosis around the theme “Elevating Sampson’s…

Top International Speakers to Present at EndoFound’s 15 th Annual Medical Conference

Top International Speakers to Present at EndoFound’s 15 th Annual Medical Conference

Nearly three dozen speakers will present at EndoFound’s 15th Annual International Medical Conference, from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on May 2 and 3, at the Jay Conference Center, 109 W. 39th Street in New York City. Planned and implemented in…

Endometriosis Chronicles: From Patient to Advocate, My Journey of Empowerment - Milcah Macatiag’s Endo Story

Endometriosis Chronicles: From Patient to Advocate, My Journey of Empowerment - Milcah Macatiag’s Endo Story

My name is Milcah Macatiag. My friends and colleagues call me Mylks. I’m a critical care nurse in Northern California with three decades of experience in healthcare. My professional journey has led me through several pivotal roles at…

Padma Lakshmi Shares Her Endometriosis Story at Boston Leadership Conference

Padma Lakshmi Shares Her Endometriosis Story at Boston Leadership Conference

Padma Lakshmi, co-founder of EndoFound, shared her endometriosis story on April 3 at the 45th annual Simmons Leadership Conference, hosted by Simmons University at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston. According to…

Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Women’s Health Research Expected to Lead to Breakthroughs for Those with Endometriosis

Joe Biden’s Executive Order on Women’s Health Research Expected to Lead to Breakthroughs for Those with Endometriosis

The first line in President Joe Biden’s executive order that advances women’s health research and innovation is what those suffering from endometriosis have been clamoring for from elected officials for decades: “My Administration…

Diagnosed with Endometriosis at 59 After a Life of No Symptoms, Tracy Lewis Will Share Her Incredible Story at Patient Day

Diagnosed with Endometriosis at 59 After a Life of No Symptoms, Tracy Lewis Will Share Her Incredible Story at Patient Day

Over the last decade, this writer has helped hundreds of women with endometriosis tell their stories to give them a voice, spread awareness about the disease, and provide readers who may have symptoms but no answers with someone they can relate…

Expert in the Science of Happiness to Share His Wisdom at EndoFound’s Patient Day

Expert in the Science of Happiness to Share His Wisdom at EndoFound’s Patient Day

For more than 20 years, Dan Lerner has been chasing the answer to the question, What does happiness have to do with achieving excellence and success? He shares his findings daily with everyone from Fortune 500 executives to military personnel…

Dr. Dan Martin to Represent EndoFound at the 2024 ACOG Congressional Conference

Dr. Dan Martin to Represent EndoFound at the 2024 ACOG Congressional Conference

Dr. Dan Martin, EndoFound’s scientific and medical director, will attend the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 42nd annual Congressional Leadership Conference from March 3-5 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Martin’s attendance…

Lauren Kornegay Has Filled a Void with Her Nonprofit Endo Black, and Will Share Her Story on Patient Day

Lauren Kornegay Has Filled a Void with Her Nonprofit Endo Black, and Will Share Her Story on Patient Day

Lauren Kornegay’s late mother left her daughter with profound words of wisdom. “She always said, ‘If there’s a void, you fill it, and if you want something done, you do it yourself,’” Kornegay said. “That’s…

Long Island Student Bringing Endometriosis Education to Her High School’s Health Curriculum

Long Island Student Bringing Endometriosis Education to Her High School’s Health Curriculum

Sophia Tarasenko had never heard of endometriosis until she read an article about it in Science News magazine 16 months ago. Since then, she’s conducted scientific research on it, has made it the topic of her entry in a regional science…

Mother Who Had Seven Miscarriages to Speak at Patient Day About Explaining Endometriosis to Her Daughters

Mother Who Had Seven Miscarriages to Speak at Patient Day About Explaining Endometriosis to Her Daughters

Ciji Castro has three young daughters. She’s also suffered through seven miscarriages due to endometriosis, which took two decades to diagnose. On March 2 and 3 in New York City, she will speak at the 15th Annual Endometriosis of America…

Former OBGYN, Now a Clinical Researcher and Educator, to Unlock the Mystery of Genes at EndoFound Patient Day

Former OBGYN, Now a Clinical Researcher and Educator, to Unlock the Mystery of Genes at EndoFound Patient Day

How old we are does not necessarily reflect the age of our body’s cells. While we cannot control the former, the latter—impacted by our environments, lifestyles, and experiences—is something we can control to an extent to…

Mental Health Counselor to Share Her Work and Endometriosis Journey at Patient Day

Mental Health Counselor to Share Her Work and Endometriosis Journey at Patient Day

Many endometriosis patients find the strength and resilience during their journey to turn their pain into something positive. Shakira O’Garro has taken that to the extreme, transforming her pain into a career.  O’Garro, a licensed…

EndoFound Receives 61 Applications for $250,000 in Grants to Be Awarded in March

EndoFound Receives 61 Applications for $250,000 in Grants to Be Awarded in March

Katie Burns received a grant from EndoFound in 2017 for $25,000 over two years. She used that as seed money to develop data to apply for larger grants to study how the environmental toxicant phthalate, a chemical found in plastics and personal…

All 51 Team EndoStrong Runners Finish NYC Marathon, Collectively Raise more than $200,000

All 51 Team EndoStrong Runners Finish NYC Marathon, Collectively Raise more than $200,000

Dana Sellitto suffered from endometriosis symptoms for two decades before finally being diagnosed in June. She had surgery in July, and just 14 weeks later, on Nov. 5, she ran the New York City Marathon, her first full marathon. It took her…

EndoFound ambassador Olivia Culpo appears on the prestigious cover of NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

EndoFound ambassador Olivia Culpo appears on the prestigious cover of NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

“It was truly an honor when they asked me to be on the cover and share my story,” Culpo said. “I know this magazine reaches a lot of people who are looking for answers to their health issues, and I’ll do whatever it…

Jeanne St. Claire Shares Her Endometriosis Story Weeks After Surgery and Five Years After It Nearly Killed Her

Jeanne St. Claire Shares Her Endometriosis Story Weeks After Surgery and Five Years After It Nearly Killed Her

  Jeanne St. Claire asked the writer of this story almost as many questions about endometriosis as he’d asked her. She also ordered Dr. Tamer Seckin’s first book, The Doctor Will See You Now, during the interview so it would…

Nearly Thirty Years after Having a Hysterectomy, Septuagenarian Is Sharing Her Endometriosis Story - Gail Albritton’s Endo Story

Nearly Thirty Years after Having a Hysterectomy, Septuagenarian Is Sharing Her Endometriosis Story - Gail Albritton’s Endo Story

Gail Albritton of El Dorado, Arkansas, began feeling significant pain during her periods as a teenager 60 years ago. With endometriosis awareness nearly nonexistent, she continued to suffer from the symptom every month for more than three decades…

Captain of Team EndoStrong in Awe of Runners’ Efforts as NYC Marathon Approaches

Captain of Team EndoStrong in Awe of Runners’ Efforts as NYC Marathon Approaches

When Clare Murphy agreed in the spring to captain EndoFound’s Team EndoStrong for the New York City Marathon on Nov. 5, she didn’t know what to expect in her new role. Today, she struggles to find the words to describe what she’s…

Usually Private About Her Endometriosis Story, Lindsay Jankovitz Opens Up Before Marathon to Help Others

Usually Private About Her Endometriosis Story, Lindsay Jankovitz Opens Up Before Marathon to Help Others

Nobody wants to talk about the most brutal time in their life, including Lindsay Jankovitz. For her, that was in high school nearly 20 years ago when endometriosis began taking over her body. But Jankovitz has bravely been sharing her story…

After Five Surgeries for Endometriosis and Adenomyosis, US Army Veteran to Run in First New York City Marathon

After Five Surgeries for Endometriosis and Adenomyosis, US Army Veteran to Run in First New York City Marathon

Nicole Allen graduated from West Point, achieved the rank of major, and ran on the Army Ten Miler team at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) in Texas. She did it all while battling endometriosis and adenomyosis. Now, at 34, Allen is about to run…

Unveiling the Journey: Battling Medical Dismissal and Finding Hope with Endometriosis - Aubrey Svensson’s Endo Story

Unveiling the Journey: Battling Medical Dismissal and Finding Hope with Endometriosis - Aubrey Svensson’s Endo Story

*trigger warning for references to medical trauma*   June 26, 2023, will forever be the day that changed my life. My name is Aubrey Svensson, and I am an incoming M1 medical student. I graduated with a degree in psychology from The Ohio…

University of Alabama Student with Endometriosis Running for Team EndoStrong in the New York City Marathon

University of Alabama Student with Endometriosis Running for Team EndoStrong in the New York City Marathon

Mary Groninger has never run a marathon. She’d also never heard of EndoFound until a Google search last spring. Now she’s training for the world’s largest race as a member of Team EndoStrong. “It’s been a whirlwind…

A Miracle Baby Develops Adenomyosis: Jennifer Hoffmann’s Quest for Strength and Peace

A Miracle Baby Develops Adenomyosis: Jennifer Hoffmann’s Quest for Strength and Peace

I was eight years old the first time I rode a horse. It was also the first time I fell off, as a nearby car backfired and scared the horse—but I got back on and never stopped riding. Even when the indoor riding arena collapsed under the…

Ironman Triathlon Athlete Running for Team EndoFound in New York City Marathon

Ironman Triathlon Athlete Running for Team EndoFound in New York City Marathon

Dan O’Brien has just about done it all when it comes to running, including half marathons, full marathons, and Ironman triathlons. But something the 26-year-old hedge fund trader from New York has never done is tie his running to a charity,…

Swedish Rocker with Endometriosis to Play in Asbury Park to Benefit EndoFound

Swedish Rocker with Endometriosis to Play in Asbury Park to Benefit EndoFound

Asbury Park is where Bruce Springsteen started, and Alexandra Jardvall has aspired to play. The 48-year-old Swedish-born singer and songwriter has been performing since she was 12, and now her wish is about to come true.  “My dad…

Running Her First Marathon Since Diagnosed with Stage IV Endometriosis, Grace Kunkel Aims for Personal Record

Running Her First Marathon Since Diagnosed with Stage IV Endometriosis, Grace Kunkel Aims for Personal Record

Grace Kunkel is shooting for a time of 3:45 in her first New York City Marathon on Nov. 5. That would eclipse her personal record by eight minutes. But for Kunkel, the race is more about the journey than the destination. “I love running…

Two Milwaukee Artists Offering Apparel with Floral Uterus Design Through Aug. 9 to Benefit EndoFound

Two Milwaukee Artists Offering Apparel with Floral Uterus Design Through Aug. 9 to Benefit EndoFound

Mara Natkin and Gloria Ramirez don’t have endometriosis, but when the owners of Artery Ink in Milwaukee learned about it, they felt compelled to do something to bring awareness to the disease that affects millions.  “It’s…

Avery St. Sauveur Pushing Through Endo Pain to Compete in New York City Marathon: Avery St. Sauveur’s Endo Story

Avery St. Sauveur Pushing Through Endo Pain to Compete in New York City Marathon: Avery St. Sauveur’s Endo Story

Avery St. Sauveur has been in pain from endometriosis for most of the last decade, but that’s not stopping her from training for her first full marathon—the world’s largest on Nov. 5. “While the New York City Marathon…

Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, and Social Media Influencer Making Endometriosis Awareness a Priority: Autumn Weimann’s Endo Story

Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, and Social Media Influencer Making Endometriosis Awareness a Priority: Autumn Weimann’s Endo Story

Every woman with endometriosis has a unique story about her journey with the disease. Autumn Weimann’s may be one of the most unusual. The 31-year-old Orange County, Calif., resident started feeling symptoms in high school one day each…

Four Months Ahead of the TCS NYC Marathon, Team EndoStrong Is Poised for Record Numbers

Four Months Ahead of the TCS NYC Marathon, Team EndoStrong Is Poised for Record Numbers

Team EndoStrong raised nearly $170,000 for EndoFound last year by running in the TCS New York City Marathon. Clare Murphy, who is running for and organizing the team for this year’s marathon on Nov. 5, expects to blow away that number.…

After Years of Being Ignored and Eight Miscarriages, Bernadette Higgins Continues the Fight Against Endometriosis: Bernadette Higgins' Endo Story

After Years of Being Ignored and Eight Miscarriages, Bernadette Higgins Continues the Fight Against Endometriosis: Bernadette Higgins' Endo Story

Bernadette Higgins was in middle school the day she got her first period. She was 12 years old. “I was doubled over in pain and in the nurse’s office the second it happened,” Higgins said.  She was sent home early by…

21-Year-Old Ivy League Student with Stage IV Endometriosis Is Epitome of Resilience: Simran Datta's Endo Story

21-Year-Old Ivy League Student with Stage IV Endometriosis Is Epitome of Resilience: Simran Datta's Endo Story

  Simran Datta was sitting in her AP Language Arts and Composition class one morning, engrossed in her writing assignment. Though she was menstruating that day and typically bled a lot, she wasn’t worried since she’d just changed…

Warriors II Album Release and New York City Concert Will Benefit EndoFound

Warriors II Album Release and New York City Concert Will Benefit EndoFound

Bernadette Higgins was 12 years old when she got her first period. It was the beginning of a nightmare. “I thought it was cool when I got my period because all the girls were getting them, but I knew something was wrong,” she said.…

EndoFound Partner Pushes for Menstrual Health Awareness and Change on Capitol Hill

EndoFound Partner Pushes for Menstrual Health Awareness and Change on Capitol Hill

Michela Bedard hears one consistent story in her work: those living in poverty need to decide what essential goods to buy each month, and menstrual products generally don’t make the cut because of priorities like food, heat, and electricity.…

Landmark Study on Endometriosis Genetics Validates What Many Patients Have Experienced

Landmark Study on Endometriosis Genetics Validates What Many Patients Have Experienced

The most extensive study ever conducted on endometriosis genetics has revealed a shared genetic basis for endometriosis and other types of pain, including migraine, back pain, and multisite pain. It also provides a clear distinction between…