17th Patient Day 2026
Mapping Pain: Pelvis to Brain
March 7-8, 20263 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036
About Patient Day
EndoFound’s annual Patient Day is a full-day conference that brings together endometriosis patients, loved ones, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates for education, connection, and support. The event creates a welcoming space where the endometriosis community can come together to learn, share experiences, and build meaningful connections.
Through engaging discussions led by physicians, researchers, patient advocates, patients, and thought leaders, Patient Day highlights the latest advancements in endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and care. Attendees gain trusted information, practical resources, and empowering insights to better manage their health and live their best lives with endometriosis.
Patient Day will be held jointly with the Saturday Medical Conference, featuring this year’s focus on ‘gut health’ and endometriosis as a nerve-centric disease, with a primary emphasis on the ‘vagus nerve'!
SPEAKERS
Semir Beyaz, PhD
Assistant Professor, Director, Seckin Endometriosis Research Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Noémie Elhadad, PhD
Chair and Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Gamze Gürsoy, PhD
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Serin Seckin, MD, FACOG
Endometriosis, Reproductive Endocrinology, & Infertility Specialist, Seckin Endometriosis Center
Stavros Zanos, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
PROGRAM
Saturday, March 7th, 2026
Small-Group Workshops & Discussions
| Time | Topic | Speaker(s) |
| 10:30 am - 11:00 am | Culinary Approaches to Anti-Inflammatory Eating: An Interactive Yogurt Sundae Bar* | Ciji Castro |
| 11:00 am - 11:45 am | Healing in Community: Art, Story, and Social Prescribing | Monica Merante, MPH Lindsey Palmer, MFA Isabella Wegner |
| 11:45 am - 12:30 pm | Phendo Village: It Takes a Village | Noemie Elhadad, PhD Gamze Gürsoy, PhD |
| 12:30 pm - 01:00 pm | From Diagnosis to Hope: Navigating Endometriosis and Diminished Ovarian Reserve | Janelle Luk, MD, FACOG |
| 01:00 pm - 02:00 pm | Lunch | |
| 02:00 pm - 02:30 pm | Building the Well: Testimony & Collective Care | Amyra León |
| 02:30 pm - 03:00 pm | Why Can Pain Persist After Surgery? Understanding Ongoing Endometriosis Pain and What Patients Can Do | Nóra Árvai |
| 03:00 pm - 03:50 pm | Community Listening Session: Help EndoFound Shape Our Next Educational Video | Carolyn Mayer, MPH Isabella Wegner Mina Seckin |
| 03:50 pm - 04:00 pm | Break | |
| 04:00 pm - 04:30 pm | "Out From Under" Film Screening | |
| 04:30 pm - 05:00 pm | Q&A with "Out From Under" Film Maker & Patient Advocates | Prisca Edwards Elizabeth Vonelli, M.Ed. Quanda Dublin Lyssette Horne |
| 05:00 pm - 07:00 pm | Networking Reception & Community Social Featuring a Special Welcome from Comedian Kitty Reynolds |
|
Sunday, March 8th, 2026
| Time | Topic | Speaker(s) | |
| 08:00 am - 09:00 am | Breakfast & Registration | ||
| Morning | Understanding Endo: Diagnosis, Treatment, and the Patient Journey | |||
| 09:00 am - 09:20 am | Endo: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow | Tamer Seckin, MD | |
| 09:205 am - 09:40 am | Why Preoperative Mapping Matters in Endometriosis Surgery | Paulina Carrillo, MD | |
| 09:40 am - 09:55 am | Egg freezing – Unique approach for the endometriosis patient | Tomer Singer, MD | |
| 09:55 am - 10:10 am | Persistence, Pain & Psychotherapy: A Dual-Lens Approach to the Endo Journey | Halley Ceglia Terrell, LCSW | |
| 10:10 am - 10:30 am | The Invisible Impact of Endometriosis: Understanding the Hidden Biology, Surgery, Recovery and Long-Term Management | Nicoletta Rasizzi BSN, RN | |
| 10:30 am - 10:45 am | Pain & Persistence: One Patient's 16-Year Journey for Answers | Autumn Weimann, ND | |
| 10:45 am - 11:00 am | Coffee Break | ||
| Mid-Morning | Perspectives: History, Care, and Community | |||
| 11:00 am - 11:20 am | What Doctors Got Wrong: The History of Endometriosis Diagnosis and Delay | Maria Rovito, PhD | |
| 11:20 am - 11:55 pm | Endometriosis Beyond the Pelvis: Patient Perspectives | Panelists: Melissa Diamond Latia Lee Valerie Menard Nicole Notar Moderator Tamer Seckin, MD |
|
| 11:55 pm - 12:30 pm | Ask the Doctors: Evidence-Based Answers to Common Questions | Serin Seckin, MD Stavros Zanos, MD, PhD Ana Sierra, MD Moderator Tamer Seckin, MD |
|
| 12:30 pm - 01:00 pm | Keynote: Eve — How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution | Cat Bohannon, PhD | |
| 01:00 pm - 02:00 pm | Lunch | ||
| Early Afternoon | Navigating Endo: Advocacy, Support, and Integrative Care | |||
| 02:00 pm - 02:30 pm | From Advocacy to Policy: Advancing Endometriosis Support at the State Level | Jillian Gilchrest Kanako Hayashi, PhD Moriah Engelberg, LMSW Moderator: Semir Beyaz, PhD |
|
| 02:30 pm - 02:50 pm | Building Your Endo Toolkit: Nutrition, Mental Health, and Accessible Strategies for Real Life | Savannah Regensburger, MS, MBA, CNS | |
| 02:50 pm - 03:05 pm | The Body on Guard: The Role of Vagal Regulation for Chronic Pain | Bee Bosnak | |
| 03:05 pm - 03:20 pm | How does Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture support Endometriosis Pain Management? | Winnie Chan LAc, MPA | |
| Late Afternoon | The Path Forward: Science, Innovation, and Hope | |||
| 03:20 pm - 03:35 pm | Can White Blood Cells from Menstrual Fluid Diagnose your Endometriosis? | Katie Burns, PhD | |
| 03:35 pm - 03:50 pm | The Nature and Nurture of Endometriosis: Defining Genetic and Environmental Underpinnings | Semir Beyaz, PhD | |
| 03:50 pm - 04:00 pm | EndoFound in Action: Translating Research, Education, and Advocacy Into Impact | ||
| 04:00 pm - 04:15 pm | Closing Remarks - Group Photo | Tamer Seckin, MD | |
Sponsors
SILVER-LEVEL SPONSOR
PARTNER-LEVEL SPONSOR
SUPPORTERS
NON-PROFIT COLLABORATORS
