On December 8, 2025, advocates, researchers, clinicians, and patients gathered at The Jackson Laboratory in Farmington, Connecticut for the EndoRise Fall Forum, a powerful event that brought together leading voices in the endometriosis community. The forum, which was also streamed virtually to participants worldwide, marked another milestone in the collaborative effort to advance awareness, research, and care for endometriosis, a disease affecting an estimated 200 million people worldwide.
The day featured a robust program, kicking off with an inspiring welcome by State Representative Jillian Gilchrest of the Endometriosis Working Group, who introduced the fireside chat of leading patient advocates, researchers, and clinicians including Dr. Alexis Newmark, Dr. Caroline Haney, Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Kayla Olson, and Founder and CEO of Sister Girl Foundation, Shantana Hazel. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Stacey Missmer, Professor and Associate Chair for Research in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In an inspiring speech, Dr. Missmer shared early-stage findings on genetic associations in endometriosis while emphasizing the critical role of community in driving progress forward.
Two panels followed the keynote; the first, focusing on addressing critical gaps in endometriosis care, featured Dr. Stacey Missmer; Heather Guidone, Program Director of the Center for Endometriosis Care; Julia Mandeville, Founder of the Barbados Association of Endometriosis and PCOS; and Dr. Frederick Rau, OB/GYN and Director of the Division of Gynecology at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
On the second panel, speakers dove into recent advancements in endometriosis research and treatment. Dr. Katie Burns of the University of Cincinnati presented on novel diagnostic approaches using menstrual blood, while Dr. Michal Tal of MIT explored the connection between Lyme disease and endometriosis and Dr. Tamer Seckin, of Hofstra and founder of The Endometriosis Foundation of America (EndoFound), shared surgical and clinical perspectives on advancing care for patients.
Multiple advocacy organizations participated in the forum, each bringing unique perspectives and resources to the conversation. EndoFound was among the participating organizations, with a table focused on their ENPOWR (Endometriosis: Promoting Outreach and Wide Recognition) program, which delivers endometriosis education to high school students nationwide.
"We're so happy to have participated in the EndoRise Fall Forum,” shared Carolyn Mayer, Program Director of EndoFound. “It was a fantastic gathering of passionate advocates, clinicians, and researchers dedicated to advancing awareness and improving care for endometriosis. Our ENPOWR-focused table was a great opportunity to share more about our flagship education program, connect people with helpful resources, and highlight ways to get involved. We truly appreciate the opportunity to engage with the community and welcome anyone interested in joining us as we work to educate the next generation of advocates."
Dr. Charlotte Frank Sage, Director of Research Initiatives at EndoFound, agreed, particularly on the forum's comprehensive approach: "I was very impressed. There was an incredible amount of information and opportunities to connect, with a strong balance of clinical experience, critical research, and patient stories."
The EndoRise initiative, established in 2023 through a collaboration between The Jackson Laboratory, UConn Health, and Connecticut's Endometriosis Working Group, represents a unique statewide program addressing endometriosis from multiple angles. The forum underscored the ongoing commitment to advancing women's health through partnership between researchers, clinicians, and the patient community. Events like these provide essential opportunities for organizations and individuals to connect, share resources, and amplify their collective mission of increasing disease recognition, providing advocacy, and supporting education efforts.
For more information about the EndoRise initiative and its ongoing work in Connecticut, visit www.ctendorise.org.
